One year after fatal shooting, East High community comes together to celebrate strength

Tuesday marked one year since a group of 10 teens participated in a drive-by shooting outside East High School, killing one young man and leaving two others seriously injured.

But the East High School community is determined to reflect on the tragedy through celebrating the community's strength and resilience, multiple officials said Tuesday.

"A year ago we were here wrapping our arms around one another on a tragic event, and one year later we are here again wrapping our arms one another to celebrate life and to celebrate the spirit of East High School," Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Matt Smith said at a press conference hosted in the East High School cafeteria.

"We come back today and we are here to celebrate the strength of this community, the strength of our school, and that's what this week is really about," East High School Principal Jill Versteeg said.

The school is hosting a series of events during what administrators are calling "Scarlet Strong Week" in honor of the school's colors and the phrase "Scarlet Strong," which officials said helped them and their students cope with the violence and the feelings of loss. Each day is centered around themes which represent what students said were the community's core traits: inclusivity, uniqueness, loyalty, service and pride.

The events include honoring over 130 students with a new award for their commitment to echoing the school's motto "for the service of humanity" in their lives. The school also hosted a community night on Tuesday featuring a community art project, sessions on SEL and mental health and a concert by the orchestra. To close out the week, the school will engage students in a day of service on Thursday and then celebrate community spirit with a staff versus students basketball game on Friday.

"Good or bad, we are here for one another within this community," Versteeg said, "and we will only continue to get stronger."

Addressing safety

In the wake of last year's tragedy, Smith and other officials said safety and community building are top priorities for the school and district moving forward.

"Gun violence is still prevalent in our community. It is prevalent in our state, it is prevalent in our country. It's going to take all of us at every level to solve this problem," Smith said.

Some of those solutions to address safety, particularly as it relates to firearms, are prioritizing security systems, from implementing new cameras and monitoring technologies to bringing on new safety-focused coordinators, according to Smith. Smith said the district has already invested in more public safety officers to increase campus security.

In addition to focusing on physical security measures, Smith said promoting safety will also rely heavily on community partnerships and input from community members and students.

"You find solutions with one another and in one another, not about blaming one another," he said.

Following last year's deadly shooting, Smith said the district hosted a series of "community round tables" to bring together students, staff, families and other community leaders to discuss how best to promote safety across the school district. He said he has been heartened to see the number of community members coming to the table eager to share their perspectives and learn from each other.

"These were some of the most emotional and rewarding experiences to be around folks and neighbors of every nationality, of every race, of every gender identity, of every sexual orientation. Everyone is showing up to talk about how we create safe spaces for one another and recognize the unique beauty that each one of us brings to the table," Smith said.

Where does the shooting case stand in court?

Three of the 10 teens have been sentenced so far in what has been one of the most complex cases the Polk County Attorney's Office has seen in decades.

Romeo Perdomo will spend up to life in prison after pleading guilty in February to first-degree murder, admitting he was among those who fired from three moving vehicles on March 7, 2022.

Kevin Martinez, now 17, drove one of the three cars used in the attack and pleaded guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced in November to up to 20 years in prison.

Braulio Hernandez Salas pleaded guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced in February to up to 20 years in prison.

Four more teens are scheduled for sentencing in May on charges ranging from second-degree murder to accessory after the fact. Under the terms of their plea deals, they face penalties ranging from 50 years in prison to a suspended sentence with probation.

The case for 18-year-old Octavio Lopez Sanchez is set to go to trial in August after Sanchez's legal team failed to reach a plea agreement with the state, according to court records.

Cases for the two youngest teens involved in the crime, Nyang Chamdual and Alex Perdomo, who were at the time 14 and 15, respectively, were recently transferred from juvenile court and are now being adjudicated in adult court.

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: East High 'Scarlet Strong Week' held on anniversary of fatal shooting