A shooting happened on January 23 at an educational program in Des Moines, Iowa.  Two students were killed and their teacher was seriously injured.

The injured man is the head of the program. He is a former hip-hop artist who has a history of gang-affiliation, and has dedicated his life to helping youth make better choices in his city.

In a news conference on Monday, police said they had charged a teenager with the shooting, and two others were in custody.

Preston Walls, 18, a Des Moines resident, was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for the shootings. Authorities also charged him with criminal gang activity.

The fatal shooting occurred at the Starts Right Here Program, an alternative educational program that helps at-risk kids. The students can enter the program starting at grade nine up to grade 12 in the Des Moines school district.

Police said the shooting resulted from an ongoing gang dispute, and Walls was on supervised release. He removed his ankle monitor about 15 minutes before the incident.

Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said the attack was targeted.

Police did not publicly identify the two young victims but said they were an 18-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy.

The founder of the program was identified as William Holmes, 49, an ex-rapper who used to call himself Will Keeps when performing. 

Police said the three victims and Walls were at the school on Monday, January 23, when Walls entered a room where the three victims were meeting. Walls had a 9 mm handgun with an extended ammunition magazine.

When Holmes tried to get Walls to leave the room, Walls pulled away and fired at the teenagers, and Holmes was hit as well. Walls fled after the shooting.

Police received the 911 call about the shooting at the school at around 1 pm. Responding officers spotted a suspicious vehicle leaving the scene. They stopped the car, but Walls got out and ran. Officers caught up with him a short while later and found a 9 mm handgun nearby.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said the police apprehended two teenagers in the vehicle with Walls and arrested them.

The mayor said that the number of families affected by the gun violence in a matter of minutes in one afternoon was five. He said that gun violence was growing at an alarming rate in the US.

The two wounded teenagers were found in critical condition and died in the hospital.

According to the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Starts Right Here Program helps and educates youth living in oppressive or disadvantaged circumstances using entertainment, arts, hip-hop, music, and other programs.

Students in the program learn about financial literacy, communication, and job interview skills.