In the fall of 2016, the life of a promising Black/African American teenager, 14-year-old Yore Thour Jieng, was tragically cut short in Des Moines, Iowa. On the evening of October 24, 2016, Yore was in a vehicle with his siblings, on their way to get food. As they waited at a stoplight at the intersection of 12th Street and Keosauqua Way, their car was struck by gunfire in a drive-by shooting.
One of the bullets pierced the rear windshield of the borrowed car they were in, striking Yore
in the head as he sat in the passenger seat. His older sister, who was driving, immediately rushed him to the nearby Iowa Methodist Medical Center. The sudden violence of the act left his siblings in a state of shock, realizing what had happened only after noticing Yore had slumped over.
For five days, Yore fought for his life, but his injuries were too severe. He succumbed to the gunshot wound on October 29, 2016. Yore was a freshman at Roosevelt High School and was remembered by his family and friends as a social and friendly person who loved basketball, video games, and spending time with his loved ones. He and his family had immigrated to the United States from Sudan in 2002.
In the wake of the shooting, the Des Moines Police Department launched a homicide investigation. Investigators found more than five shell casings at the scene of the crime. Despite the investigation, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder of Yore Thour Jieng. The case remains open and unsolved, leaving his family and the community still searching for answers and justice. Some family members believe the shooting may have been a case of mistaken identity, as they were in a borrowed vehicle and the attack seemed to come out of nowhere. The police have not been able to confirm the motive or the intended target of the shooters.
