Jaquez Alonzo Allen, an 18-year-old Black / African American male, was fatally shot on January 1, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa, marking the city's first homicide of the year. The incident unfolded in the afternoon in the Lower Beaver neighborhood, stemming from a dispute. Police responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 1:03 p.m. at 3720 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, where they found Allen with a critical gunshot wound.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Two other adult males were also injured during the altercation.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a complex series of events leading to Allen's death. Court documents indicate that Allen and another man, 24-year-old Marlin Santana Thomas, had approached a third individual to collect on a debt. All three men were armed. During the confrontation, the third person's gun reportedly malfunctioned. Thomas then allegedly shot this individual in the arm.
As the struggle continued, the third man attempted to take Thomas's gun. Allen then tried to shoot the third individual, but his own gun also malfunctioned. The third person, whose gun was initially inoperable, managed to gain control of a working firearm and shot both Allen and Thomas. Following the investigation, authorities did not file charges against the third man, concluding that he had acted in self-defense.
In connection with the incident, Marlin Santana Thomas was arrested and faced several charges, including attempted murder. Funeral services for Jaquez Alonzo Allen were held on Friday, January 13, 2023, at the True Bible Baptist Church.
