Teen gets life in prison for fatal drive-by shooting near Des Moines East High School

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another Iowa teenager was sentenced Monday to life in prison for a deadly shooting outside Des Moines East High School in 2022.

Alex Santiago Perdomo, 17, pleaded guilty last year to first-degree murder. He was 15 at the time of the shooting, according to the Polk County District Attorney, who said Perdomo will have a chance at parole. His public defenders did not immediately return calls for comment Monday.

Police say Perdomo was among 10 teenagers, ages 14 to 18, armed with at least six guns who drove in several cars to an area near East High School, just a half-mile from the Iowa Capitol. The details of their plan are unclear, but police say the teenagers were going to settle a grudge and shot Jose Lopez, his sister, one of her friends and two other teenagers who were standing on the sidewalk nearby.

The shot hit Lopez, his sister and their friend, killing Lopez and seriously injuring the girls.

Perdomo is the second teenager in the group to receive a life sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. A third teenager who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder will be sentenced next year when he turns 18, prosecutors said.

Four others, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, received sentences ranging from 20 to 70 years in prison. One member of the gang, who pleaded guilty to providing a handgun or revolver to a person under the age of 21, received four years of probation.

Two other defendants were sentenced to 20 years in prison on other charges.