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Des Moines Police Name Officer in Fatal Welfare-Check Shooting

A state review of the shooting is underway alongside a homicide probe into the woman’s death.

Overview

  • Police identified Senior Officer Noah DeVenney, hired in 2024, as the officer who shot a man during a welfare check last week.
  • Officers entered the apartment after management unlocked the door, where police say 33-year-old Zakar Jeffrey tried to stab the caller, the woman’s father, then charged at officers.
  • DeVenney fired his handgun and medics attempted lifesaving care, but Jeffrey was pronounced dead at the scene.
  • A search of the unit found 33-year-old Martasha Jordane Paris McKenzie dead in a bedroom, prompting a homicide investigation by Des Moines detectives.
  • The department placed DeVenney on administrative assignment under protocol, requested a state Division of Criminal Investigation review, and said body cameras recorded the incident.