Fatal shooting of man who allegedly beat woman and her child ruled justified

The shooting death of a 23-year-old Des Moines man last month was justified due to self defense, the Polk County Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

Law enforcement found Ezekiel Williams suffering from the gunshot wound near the 2200 block of University Avenue on May 20 after responding to calls of shots fired in the area. Emergency personnel transported Williams to Mercy-Des Moines Medical Center, where he remained on life support until his death on May 27, according to a news release from Sgt. Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police Department.

The police department originally investigated the shooting as the city's 11th homicide of 2023. However, an initial investigation showed Williams' injuries were sustained following a physical altercation with a 22-year-old female.

Williams allegedly physically assaulted the female, broke her nose and caused bruising and swelling to her face, according to Parizek. He also allegedly assaulted one of her children, which caused facial bruising.

Following the assault, "the 22-year-old female retrieved a firearm that was stored within the home and shot Williams," Parizek said in the news release.

Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham concluded the shooting was justified because the woman acted in self defense. In addition to the physical bruising the woman and her children showed after the alleged assault, Graham said in a news release that "the woman had reported previous abuse to friends, and the woman reported to police that Williams threatened to kill her and children multiple times in the past and again before the shooting."

"Under Iowa law, a person can use deadly force if it is reasonable to believe that such force is necessary to avoid injury or risk to one’s life or safety or the life or safety of another," according to the County Attorney's Office.

“This was a horrible tragedy in our community,” Graham said in the release. “The woman and children endured violence, abuse, and threats, and they will live with the memory and results of the events of that evening for the rest of their lives. The family of Mr. Williams has suffered the permanent loss of their loved one. With the right support and interventions, maybe this tragedy could have been prevented. We cannot change what has happened in this family, but we can help others as we move forward as a community.  

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at@francescablock3.