Postal Worker Opens Fire on Co-Workers at Iowa Post Office, Then Flees as Police Launch Urgent Manhunt
A routine Thursday morning at an Iowa post office turned into a terrifying scene when a postal employee allegedly opened fire on her colleagues, leaving two women shot and another worker injured while trying to escape.
The śh́óóting happened around 9:10 a.m. on November 5, at the main United States Postal Service processing and distribution facility on Second Avenue in Des Moines.
Police said they received multiple emergency calls reporting gunfire on the building’s second floor, an area not accessible to members of the public. Witnesses reported hearing between 10 and 12 śh́óts.
Investigators identified the suspected šhσσtєr as Jennifer Christine Pledger, 39, of West Des Moines, who also worked at the postal facility.
According to police, evidence gathered from witnesses and victims indicates that Pledger allegedly opened fire on a group of employees. She is accused of śh́óóting one woman, standing over her after she fell and firing again before continuing to shoot as other workers fled.
Two women, aged 45 and 53, suffered gunshot wounds. A 55-year-old male employee was injured in a fall while attempting to escape the attack.
All three victims were taken to hospital and were reported to be in stable condition. Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
The suspect allegedly fled the building after the śh́óóting, triggering an urgent police response.
Officers arrived within approximately three minutes of the first emergency calls. At around 9:21 a.m., just 11 minutes after police began receiving reports, Pledger was detained without resistance along a nearby bike trail.
A 9mm handgun was recovered at the location where she was arrested.
Pledger has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of willful injury causing serious injury and one count of intimidation with a dangerous w𝔢𝔞𝔭𝔬η. She was booked into the Polk County Jail and is being held without bond, according to local reports.
Authorities have not established a motive, and investigators say the suspect has not provided an explanation for the śh́óóting.
The incident prompted nearby schools and public facilities to temporarily restrict access as police worked to secure the area. Those restrictions were lifted after officers confirmed the suspect was in custody.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating alongside Des Moines police and other local, state and federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said she was monitoring the situation and expressed gratitude for the rapid response by law enforcement.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to establish what led to the violence inside the postal facility.
Source: DAILYMAIL
