Robbery at Walmart Prompts Lockdown at Nearby High School 2024-10-31

A metro high school in West Des Moines, Iowa instituted cautionary measures after a robbery was reported at a nearby Walmart. The Windsor Heights Police Department says two people were meeting inside the Walmart to exchange a cell phone after agreeing to a transaction on Facebook Marketplace, when the buyer displayed a gun and took the phone before leaving in a vehicle. As a precaution, Dowling Catholic High School entered a 'hold' on campus, but the situation was resolved about 10 minutes later.

public event

Des Moines Breaks 86-Year Tradition, Moves Trick-or-Treating to Halloween 2024-10-31

For the first time since 1938, children in Des Moines, Iowa will go trick-or-treating on Halloween night. The city's tradition, known as Beggars' Night, usually takes place on October 30th, a day before Halloween. However, due to severe weather forecasts, the city decided to move the festivities to Halloween night this year. Beggars' Night was established in the 1930s as a response to a particularly crime-ridden Halloween in 1938, when Des Moines police answered 550 reports of vandalism. The tradition involves children telling a joke to receive candy.

crime

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Iowa Detectives by Man Acquitted of Mother's Murder 2024-10-31

Jason Carter, who was acquitted of murdering his mother in a highly publicized 2019 trial, has failed to show Iowa investigators were malicious or reckless in bringing the charge against him, a federal judge has ruled. Carter filed lawsuits accusing investigators of ignoring alternate suspects, withholding evidence, and using his family's civil lawsuit to advance their criminal investigation. However, the judge found the investigators had legal probable cause to arrest and charge Carter, and that they did not violate his rights.