Iowa teen gets life in prison for fatal drive-by shooting near a school
Another Iowa teenager has been sentenced to life in prison for a fatal drive-by shooting near Des Moines East High School in 2022
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Another Iowa teenager was sentenced Monday to life in prison for a fatal 2022 drive-by shooting near Des Moines East High School.
Alex Santiago Perdomo, 17, pleaded guilty last year to first-degree murder. He was 15 at the time of the shooting, according to the Polk County prosecutor, who said Perdomo will have a chance at parole. His public defense attorneys did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment Monday.
Police say Perdomo was among 10 teens ages 14 to 18 armed with at least six guns who drove in multiple vehicles to a neighborhood near East High School, only a half mile from the Iowa Capitol. The specifics of their plan aren’t clear, but police say the teens were out to settle a grudge and fired on Jose Lopez, his sister, one of her friends and two other teens standing on a sidewalk nearby.
The gunfire hit Lopez, his sister and their friend, killing Lopez and seriously wounding the girls.
Perdomo is the second teenager in the group to receive a life sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. A third teen who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder will be sentenced next year, after he turns 18, prosecutors said.
Four others who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder received sentences ranging from 20 to 70 years in prison. One member of the group who pleaded guilty to providing a pistol or revolver to a person under 21 received a suspended sentence of four years.
The other two remaining defendants were sentenced to 20 years in prison on various other charges.