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Youth program founder hurt in shooting ‘has biggest heart’

Will Keeps, President of Starts Right Here, stands for a photo at his organization in Des Moines, Iowa, Tuesday, July 13, 2021. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Des Moines Register via AP) In this image provided by the Des Moines Public Schools, Will Keeps speaks to students at Harding Middle School in Des Moines. Iowa, during their annual Career Day on Nov. 15, 2019. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Jon Lemons/Des Moines Public Schools via AP) In this image provided by the Des Moines Public Schools, community activist and rap artist Will Keeps performs at North High School for students and community members on Oct. 6, 2017, in Des Moines, Iowa, prior to the Speak Up Against Violence Walk, a march organized by middle and high school students to raise awareness of gun violence in the community. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Phil Roeder/Des Moines Public Schools via AP) In this image provided by the Des Moines Public Schools, Will Keeps reads a Dr. Seuss story to students at Lovejoy Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa, during their "VIPs Read to Students" event on March 2, 2020. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Kyle Knicley/Des Moines Public Schools via AP) In this image provided by the Des Moines Public Schools, community activist and rap artist Will Keeps records a music video with students in a hallway at Des Moines Public School's Central Campus, on Jan. 29, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Jon Lemons/Des Moines Public Schools via AP) In this image provided by the Des Moines Public Schools, community activist and rap artist Will Keeps works with students at Harding Middle School on Sept. 27, 2017, in Des Moines, Iowa. Students watched his latest music video, 'Droppin' and analyzed his lyrics as part of their literacy class. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Jon Lemons/Des Moines Public Schools via AP) In this image provided by the Des Moines Public Schools, community activist and rap artist Will Keeps works with students at Harding Middle School on Sept. 27, 2017, in Des Moines, Iowa. Students watched his latest music video, 'Droppin' and analyzed his lyrics as part of their literacy class. Keeps is hospitalized in serious condition after surgery following just the sort of violence he's devoted his life to stop -- a shooting that killed two teenagers at the Starts Right Here educational program he founded in Des Moines. Keeps was hurt Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, when he tried to intervene. (Jon Lemons/Des Moines Public Schools via AP) This photo provided by Gary Dameron shows his son, Gionni Dameron, top left, posing with his family in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2022. An 18-year-old who police say was involved in an ongoing gang dispute walked into the common area of an alternative education program for at-risk students and fatally shot two teenagers in a premeditated attack, including Gionni Dameron, according to a charging document released Tuesday, Jan 24, 2023. (Gary Dameron via AP) This photo provided by Gary Dameron shows his son, Gionni Dameron, smiling for a photo in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2021. An 18-year-old who police say was involved in an ongoing gang dispute walked into the common area of an alternative education program for at-risk students and fatally shot two teenagers in a premeditated attack, including Gionni Dameron, according to a charging document released Tuesday, Jan 24, 2023. (Gary Dameron via AP) This booking photo provided by the Polk County, Iowa, Jail shows Preston Walls of Des Moines, Iowa. Walls, the 18-year-old who police say was involved in an ongoing gang dispute, walked into the common area of an alternative education program for at-risk students on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, and fatally shot two teenagers in a premeditated attack, according to a charging document released Tuesday, Jan. 24. Walls was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of criminal gang participation. (Polk County Jail via AP) Law enforcement officers stand outside a school housing an educational program called Starts Right Here that is affiliated with the Des Moines school district, following a shooting Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Police say two students were killed, and an adult employee was seriously injured in the shooting at the school dedicated to helping at-risk youth. (Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Des Moines Register via AP) Des Moines Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Parizek speaks outside the Starts Right Here building, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Police say two students were killed and a teacher was injured in a shooting at the Des Moines school on the edge of the city's downtown. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Law enforcement officers enter the Starts Right Here building, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Police say two students were killed and a teacher was injured in a shooting at the Des Moines school on the edge of the city's downtown. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Youth program founder hurt in shooting ‘has biggest heart’