In an illustration of how even an accidental shooting can lead to a vicious cycle of violence, four people in Des Moines, Iowa were injured when gunfire erupted at a vigil for an accidental shooting victim.

The original accident occurred on March 6, 2021, when Thomas Ivy accidently shot and killed 16-year old Elijah Brown-Townsend while handing him a gun in a car.  Ivy, age 19, was charged with involuntary manslaughter after police concluded that he carelessly pointed the gun at Brown-Townsend during the exchange.  The gun, as guns do, accidentally fired.

Today, at a Des Moines vigil for Brown-Townsend, a dispute arose, guns were pulled and four more people were shot and injured, three of them teenagers: age 14, 15 and 19.  A 33-year old woman was also shot and injured.  None of the injuries are life-threatening, and all of today’s victims are likely to survive.  Police are investigating, but no arrests have been made.

Source:

Philip Joens, “Four People Shot, Injured at Wednesday Vigil for Slain Des Moines Shooting Victim,” Des Moines Register (November 4, 2021).