Class is back in session for East High students Wednesday, after violence rocked their community.It was their first day back since a deadly drive-by shooting outside of the school. The shooting left one teen dead and two teen girls with serious injuries. There was an increased patrol of Des Moines Public Schools Public Safety and the Des Moines Police Department in the parking lots and the vicinity of East and all Des Moines Public School high schools. Community activists and political candidates lined the entrance to East as the students made their way back to class this morning.There is no doubt thoughts weigh heavy on the staff and students as the school deals with a homicide on their campus and two of their classmates who suffered serious gunshot injuries.“We will get better,” said DMPS Associate Superintendent Matthew Smith. “We will begin to find joy again here at school and in our community. But it’s going to take us doing that together. It’s going to take us loving one another and showing up for one another.”In the aftermath of the tragedy, the East community received support from across the state and the nation. The hope is the students and staff can start the healing process.“It’s hard to be back after what occurred two weeks ago,” said Leslie Marquez, a student at East. “This community must come together to provide support to one another. Not just for now, but from now on.”The drive-by shooting in March claimed the life of 15-year old Jose Lopez. The shooting seriously injured East students 16-year-old Jessica Lopez and 18-year-old Kemery Ortega.Both women continue to recover from gunshot wounds to the head. Previously:
Class is back in session for East High students Wednesday, after violence rocked their community.
It was their first day back since a deadly drive-by shooting outside of the school. The shooting left one teen dead and two teen girls with serious injuries.
There was an increased patrol of Des Moines Public Schools Public Safety and the Des Moines Police Department in the parking lots and the vicinity of East and all Des Moines Public School high schools. Community activists and political candidates lined the entrance to East as the students made their way back to class this morning.
There is no doubt thoughts weigh heavy on the staff and students as the school deals with a homicide on their campus and two of their classmates who suffered serious gunshot injuries.
“We will get better,” said DMPS Associate Superintendent Matthew Smith. “We will begin to find joy again here at school and in our community. But it’s going to take us doing that together. It’s going to take us loving one another and showing up for one another.”
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the East community received support from across the state and the nation. The hope is the students and staff can start the healing process.
“It’s hard to be back after what occurred two weeks ago,” said Leslie Marquez, a student at East. “This community must come together to provide support to one another. Not just for now, but from now on.”
The drive-by shooting in March claimed the life of 15-year old Jose Lopez. The shooting seriously injured East students 16-year-old Jessica Lopez and 18-year-old Kemery Ortega.
Both women continue to recover from gunshot wounds to the head.
Previously:
