Police Charge 3 in Beating Death of Des Moines Man... Another random violent attack

Des Moines police arrested two people Friday. 18-year-olds James Shorter and Nathaniel Russell. They're looking for a third, 18-year-old Kent Tyler. They've been charged with murdering 40-year-old Richard Daughenbaugh.

The victim was brutally beat by multiple people in this parking lot.

"Almost a mob mentality took over the crowd," Sgt. Jason Halifax said.

He later died in the hospital Sunday night. During the fight, a couple tried to break it up, but instead two girls stole the woman's cell phone and a man beat up the good Samaritan. Leprese Derrian Williams was charged in connection with assaulting him.

Friday was Robert Daughenbaugh's funeral. We spoke to the family today. They said, with all of the questions they this week, now a few are answered.

Police say this is a random attack. There were some members of the Heavy Hitters Gang, a growing problem in Des Moines, there on Sunday.

"There were members of that gang involved in this assault, but it wasn't as though Mr. Daughenbaugh was a target of that gang," Halifax said.

But increased gang violence doesn't mean these random acts will happen all of the time. This was a crime of opportunity.

"Most of the activity we've seen between gang members here in Des Moines have been focused, are directed at other gangs, rival gangs," Halifax said.


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