A 29-year-old Black / African American man, Dennis Morris Hawkins Jr., died in a shooting in Des Moines, Iowa, on September 15, 2024. The incident occurred shortly after 2 a.m. in the Court Avenue Entertainment District, a typically bustling area of the city. Officers on patrol in the district heard the sound of gunfire and responded to the 200 block of Water Street, where they discovered a chaotic scene.
Upon their arrival, police found three men suffering from gunshot wounds.
Dennis Morris Hawkins Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene. The two other victims, one of whom was later identified as 34-year-old Oscar Matthew Marquez Jr., were transported to local hospitals in critical condition. Marquez Jr. later succumbed to his injuries. The third man, also 29 years old, was eventually released from the hospital. Investigators recovered three firearms from the scene.
According to the Des Moines Police Department, witness statements and evidence gathered at the scene indicate that a verbal argument broke out among the three men, which tragically escalated to gunfire. While the investigation is still ongoing, authorities have stated that there is no indication that any other individuals were involved in the altercation. As a result, there are no outstanding suspects, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the deaths of Hawkins Jr. and Marquez Jr. The incident has been classified as the city's ninth and eleventh homicides of 2024.
