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2022 East High School shooting

SOLVED2022Near East High School, Des Moines, Iowa3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On the afternoon of March 7, 2022, shortly after 2:40 p.m., a shooting occurred near East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, just before school was dismissed for the day. Neighborhood camera footage captured a group of five teenagers gathered near a curb when three vehicles passed, turned around, and opened fire on the group. At least 35 gunshots were fired from the vehicles. Multiple 911 calls followed at approximately 2:50 p.m. Investigators later recovered about 20 spent shell casings at the scene and another 15 inside vehicles identified by the Des Moines Police Department as having been used in the shooting.

One victim, 15-year-old Jose David Lopez, a student at another Des Moines high school who was visiting the East High campus, was killed. Police said he was the intended target of the attack. Two female East High students, aged 16 and 18, were critically wounded; both were shot in the head. The 18-year-old, identified in later reporting as Kemery Ortega, was reported by late March 2022 to be recovering and preparing to leave the hospital, though she may have retained bullet fragments in her skull. The 16-year-old victim was also reported to be recovering after being critically injured. Police stated the two female victims were not intended targets.

The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) office in Kansas City, the Iowa State Patrol, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and the Des Moines Public Schools Department of Public Safety. Multiple search warrants were executed and six guns were recovered. By the evening of the shooting, six teenage males aged 14 to 17 had been arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, with four charged in adult court and two in juvenile court. By March 30, 2022, several more teenagers had been arrested, and four additional teens were eventually charged in connection with the shooting. Police described the shooting as having gang overtones, characterizing it as stemming from an ongoing violent conflict between two rival Iowa Hispanic gangs.

Court proceedings extended over several years. Multiple defendants pleaded guilty to charges including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, accessory to the fact, willful injury causing serious injury, and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. Sentences handed down ranged from a suspended four-year term to life in prison with the possibility of parole, with prison terms including 20, 50, 60, and 70 years for various defendants. One defendant was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the estate of the deceased victim. Some defendants who were minors at the time of sentencing were held under youthful offender status pending sentencing after reaching adulthood. U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement addressing the shooting and broader concerns about gun violence in American society.

Key facts

Victims
Jose David Lopez, Kemery Ortega
Date
2022
Location
Near East High School, Des Moines, Iowa
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2022-03-07

    Shooting occurs near East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, shortly after 2:40 p.m.; Jose David Lopez is killed and two female students are critically wounded.

  2. 2022-03-30

    Several additional teenagers arrested in connection with the shooting.

  3. 2022-09

    Manuel Buezo pleads guilty to second-degree murder as part of a plea bargain.

  4. 2022-10

    Gumaro Marquez-Jacobo and Henry David Valladares Amaya enter guilty pleas to related charges.

  5. 2022-11

    Kevin Martinez sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon.

  6. 2022-12

    Daniel Hernandez pleads guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury.

  7. 2023-02

    Romeo Perdomo sentenced to life with parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder; Braulio Hernandez Salas pleads guilty and is sentenced to 20 years in prison.

  8. 2023-03

    Alex Perdomo pleads guilty to first-degree murder.

  9. 2023-07

    Nyang Mai Chamdual pleads guilty to first-degree murder and is given youthful offender status.

  10. 2023-08

    Octavio Lopez Jr pleads guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury; Daniel Hernandez, Henry Amaya, Manuel Buezo and Gumaro Marquez-Jacobo are sentenced.

  11. 2024-01

    Lopez sentenced to 70 years in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution.

  12. 2025-05

    Nyang Chamdual sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole.

Best coverage

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People

  • Jose David Lopez

    VICTIM

    15-year-old killed in the shooting; police said he was the intended target

  • Kemery Ortega

    VICTIM

    18-year-old student critically wounded, shot in the head; not an intended target

  • Kevin Martinez

    CONVICTED

    One of the car drivers; pleaded guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon; sentenced to 20 years

  • Gumaro Marquez-Jacobo

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to being an accessory to the fact, providing a pistol to a person under 21, and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon; received suspended 4-year sentence

  • Romeo Perdomo

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder; sentenced to life with parole

  • Alex Perdomo

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder

  • Nyang Mai Chamdual

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder; given youthful offender status; sentenced to life with possibility of parole

  • Daniel Hernandez

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury; sentenced to 60 years

  • Manuel Buezo

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder; sentenced to 20 years

  • Henry David Valladares Amaya

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury; sentenced to 50 years

  • Octavio Lopez Jr

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury; sentenced to 70 years and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution

  • Braulio Hernandez Salas

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon; sentenced to 20 years

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Near East High School, Des Moines, Iowa

41.5969, -93.6000

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
A shooting near East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 7, 2022, killed 15-year-old Jose David Lopez and critically wounded two female students, in an attack police attributed to conflict between rival gangs.
Where did the shooting happen?
Near East High School, Des Moines, Iowa.
Who was convicted?
Kevin Martinez (One of the car drivers; pleaded guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon; sentenced to 20 years), Gumaro Marquez-Jacobo (Pleaded guilty to being an accessory to the fact, providing a pistol to a person under 21, and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon; received suspended 4-year sentence), Romeo Perdomo (Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder; sentenced to life with parole), Alex Perdomo (Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder), Nyang Mai Chamdual (Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder; given youthful offender status; sentenced to life with possibility of parole), Daniel Hernandez (Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury; sentenced to 60 years), Manuel Buezo (Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder; sentenced to 20 years), Henry David Valladares Amaya (Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury; sentenced to 50 years), Octavio Lopez Jr (Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury; sentenced to 70 years and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution), and Braulio Hernandez Salas (Pleaded guilty to two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon; sentenced to 20 years).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in Iowa

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDIC2022 East High School shootingWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — Associated PressAssociated Press · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — ReutersReuters · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026