Police used a neighborhood perimeter, drone and K-9 assistance before a resident’s camera report led officers to the suspect nearby.
DES MOINES, Iowa — A resident’s security cameras helped Des Moines police locate a shooting suspect less than 40 minutes after gunfire was reported Thursday afternoon at an apartment complex in the Merle Hay neighborhood, authorities said.
Police arrested 39-year-old Keona Campbell after a search near the 6300 block of Urbandale Avenue. She is charged with attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm after another woman was shot in the arm. Police said Campbell also had an active warrant in an unrelated burglary case when she was taken into custody.
The response began shortly before 4:30 p.m. Sept. 3, when officers received two emergency calls from the area. One caller reported hearing a gunshot and a scream. Another reported that someone had been shot. Officers arriving at the apartment complex found an adult woman wounded in the arm.
Des Moines Fire Department personnel provided treatment before the woman was taken to a hospital. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek said her injury was not believed to be life-threatening. Authorities have not released her name.
Investigators identified Campbell as a suspect and established a perimeter as officers searched the neighborhood. Police deployed a drone, and a K-9 officer from the Ankeny Police Department assisted in the effort. Authorities said Campbell had left the immediate shooting scene.
The search shifted after a nearby resident contacted police. Investigators said security cameras at a property about a block from the shooting had recorded someone hiding there. Officers responded to the location and found Campbell in the area. She was arrested without incident.
Police also recovered a firearm outside a nearby home and said they believe it was used in the shooting. Authorities have not disclosed what evidence connects the weapon to the gunfire beyond their preliminary determination, and the investigation remains open.
Police later said the shooting was not believed to be random. According to investigators, Campbell and the wounded woman knew each other, and the confrontation began after the woman accused Campbell of an alleged theft. Authorities have not released further information about the disputed property or the events immediately before the gunfire.
Campbell remains accused, and the charges do not establish guilt. Police said there was no ongoing danger to the surrounding neighborhood following the arrest. Investigators continue to examine the shooting and have not announced additional charges or identified any other suspects.
Author note: Last updated September 5, 2026.