On a cold Wednesday afternoon in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 15, 2020, the life of 28-year-old Damiko L. Carr, a Black male, was tragically cut short by gun violence. The incident, which unfolded in a garage on the city's west side, also claimed the life of 21-year-old Karyree Henderson and left two other men, 31-year-old Michael Blackwell and 26-year-old Alonzo Kearney, with injuries. All four men were residents of Des Moines.
When police responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 4 p.m., they discovered a grim scene with three of the men shot inside the garage. A trail of blood in the snow led officers to the fourth man several blocks away.
The investigation into the double homicide led to an arrest in April of that year, though not for the killings themselves. A man named Alex Arthur was taken into custody and charged with obstructing prosecution. Authorities alleged that Arthur, who was in control of the property where the shooting occurred, had deliberately deleted a portion of the video surveillance footage that was part of the investigation. One of the survivors of the shooting, Alonzo L. Kearney, was also arrested for interference with official acts and on other outstanding warrants shortly after his release from the hospital.
Despite these arrests, the individuals responsible for the deaths of Damiko L. Carr and Karyree Henderson have not been publicly identified or charged with murder, based on available online information. The motive for the shooting has not been released by police. The case has left a void in the lives of the victims' families and friends. Friends and family remembered Damiko Carr as a great father, brother, son, and a loyal friend with a big heart. The lack of resolution in bringing the perpetrators of the homicides to justice leaves a lingering question over the tragic events of that January day.
