The confirmed incident occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the United States Postal Service facility at 1165 Second Avenue in Des Moines. According to police, emergency calls began arriving around 9:10 a.m. after gunfire was reported inside the building.
Investigators identified the suspect as Jennifer Christine Pledger, 39, of West Des Moines, an employee at the postal facility. She was arrested nearby shortly after officers responded.
Two female employees, aged 45 and 53, suffered gunshot injuries, while a 55-year-old male employee was hurt while attempting to escape. All three victims were taken to hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Pledger faces two counts of attempted murder, two counts of willful injury causing serious injury and one count of intimidation with a dangerous weapon. Authorities have not publicly established a motive.
Regarding the reported Ankeny McDonald’s shooting, details including the exact location, injuries, victim identities and police response have not been independently confirmed in the available reports.
The two incidents should not be treated as connected without confirmation from investigators. Further information from Ankeny police would be needed to establish whether another shooting actually occurred.