East High School shooting in Des Moines, Iowa leaves 3 teens in critical condition as police rush to lockdown

THREE teenagers were shot outside a high school as police rushed to secure the scene.

Police in Iowa rushed to East High School in Des Moines at around 2.40pm on Monday following reports of shots fired near the school.

Des Moines East High School/Facebook

Three teens were shot outside of East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday[/caption]

Officials with the Des Moines Police Department discovered three shooting victims outside the school.

It’s unclear whether the teens were students at the school.

Their name and ages were not immediately known, but police confirmed all three were in critical condition.

According to DMPD Sgt. Paul Parizek, the potential suspects in the case were detained shortly after.

“It’s a punch in the gut that we got three teenagers in the hospital, but we’re hoping for the best on that,” Parizek said at the scene.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) responded to the scene and were investigating the shooting.

The high school was placed on lockdown shortly after the shooting, which has since been lifted by the DMPD.

The Des Moines Public School District said students will be dismissed on time.