Police Chief Calls Iowa School Shooting 'Sad and Pointless'

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A shooting at a Des Moines educational program that left two students dead and the organization's founder injured should be understood as tragic, sad and pointless," the city's police chief said Wednesday.

The shooting Monday at the Starts Right Here educational program killed two teens 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr who were trying to rebuild their lives with help from the organization. Will Keeps, the founder of the program designed to help teens who didn't succeed at traditional schools, was injured in the shooting and remained in a hospital Wednesday.

Police charged Preston Walls, 18, a program participant, with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of criminal gang participation. Walls is being held at the Polk County Jail on $1 million bond and will next appear in court on Feb. 3.

Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert released a statement in which he noted that such shootings have become increasingly common across the country, and our community is no different."