Jennifer Pledger is the accused suspect in the Des Moines, IA, post office shooting that injured her three co-workers.
According to the Des Moines Register, Pledger was arrested around 9:21 a.m. on November 5 on a bike trail near the post office; police discovered a 9 mm handgun. She is 39 years old and from West Des Moines, according to the newspaper. She is accused of firing on a group of employees, according to the newspaper.
KCCI-TV reported that two employees were shot and a third was injured from a fall. Pledger worked at the post office.
Jennifer Pledger Is Accused of Standing Over a Victim & Firing Again
The police spokesman described a disturbing scene.
“Pledger then approached that victim, stood over her, and fired again,” Sgt. Paul Parizek said in the update, according to the Register. “Pledger is then described as firing in the direction of other employees as they fled the area of the shooting.”
She is being held in the Polk County Jail on the following charges, according to jail records: Attempted murder (2 counts); willful injury (2 counts); and injury with a dangerous weapon
According to KCCI, there were “reports of 10 to 12 shots fired on the second floor of the United States Postal Service facility, located at 1165 Second Avenue in Des Moines.”
Jennifer Pledger’s Alleged Motive Is Not Yet Clear
The motive is not clear.
“I am aware of the shooting that took place at the Post Office on 2nd Avenue in Des Moines this morning resulting in three injuries. Law enforcement officers were on scene within minutes and quickly apprehended the suspect near the Post Office building,” Mayor Connie Boesen wrote in a statement on Facebook.
“We are thankful for the incredibly rapid and effective response from our Des Moines Police Department and partnering agencies who helped bring a swift and decisive end to a dangerous situation,” she added.
According to The New York Times, “The injured victims were two women, ages 45 and 53, and a 55-year-old man.” They are in stable condition at the hospital, and none of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening.
The suspect’s full name is given in court records as Jennifer Christine Pledger. According to The Times, police say Pledger “aimed at employees trying to flee the scene.”
Jennifer Pledger Named as Suspect in Des Moines Post Office Shooting