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Des Moines community mourns the fatal shootings of two police officers

Outside the Des Moines Police Station, Quanda Brown lay a bouquet of flowers as she mumbled under her breath, “in Jesus name” before returning to he...

DES MOINES, Iowa — Outside the Des Moines Police Station, Quanda Brown lay a bouquet of flowers as she mumbled under her breath, "in Jesus name" before returning to her father's side to look silently at a police car parked on the sidewalk. On its windshield, several bouquets of flowers and a few handwritten notes — condolences for the two offices shot and killed while sitting in their police cars just after 1 o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, November 2 2016.

"Shocked, very shocked, saddened you just wouldn't think something like this would happen in Des Moines," said Quanda Brown, a veteran who retired from the Army after over 18 years of service.

Brown was one of dozens of people who stopped by the Des Moines Police Station to place flowers on the windshield of the Des Moines Police car.

Sgt. Anthony "Tony" Beminio, of the Des Moines Police Department was shot near the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Avenue in Des Moines.

"I fear for all the law enforcement, I fear for their lives, I have a brother on the force, Sgt. Kenneth Brown so it really just hits close to home," said Brown, who now serves as a minister and says the Des Moines community and the families of the fallen officers need prayers.  Brown said her brother is holding up "the best he can".

Several miles away, a steady stream of people arrived at the Urbandale Police Department to pay their respects, leaving flowers, in a time where there a no words.

"It's hard to form words with so many emotions going on at one time that somebody could do this," said Daniel Schneider, who placed flowers at an Urbandale Police car parked in the grass just outside the front door of the station on Wednesday afternoon. Schneider was joined by his fiance, Bridget Smith.

Officer Justin Martin, 24, of the Urbandale Police Department was shot near the intersection of Aurora Avenue and 70th Street in Urbandale.

"We know a few law enforcement officers in the area, so it could have been any one of them," said Schneider. "I just think that, I hope the community can come together, and help his family and these other officers get though this."

"They didn't deserve this. These two officers did not deserve this at all," said Brown.

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