Eighteen-year-old Jaquez Alonzo Allen, a Black/African American male, was fatally shot on January 1, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. The shooting occurred about 1:03 p.m. in the Lower Beaver neighborhood at 3720 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Allen was found with a critical gunshot wound, taken to a hospital, and later died. Two other adult men were also wounded.

Court documents say Allen and 24-year-old Marlin Santana Thomas approached a third man to collect a debt; all three were armed. According to the documents, the third man’s gun initially malfunctioned, Thomas shot that man in the arm, and during the struggle the third man gained control of a working firearm and shot both Allen and Thomas. Authorities did not charge the third man, finding he acted in self-defense; Thomas was arrested on multiple charges including attempted murder. Funeral services for Allen were held January 13, 2023.

If anyone knew Allen or has information about the events that afternoon, please share what is known.