A 54-year-old died as storms and tornado warnings swept the Des Moines metro today.
A man died this morning after a tree fell on a homeless encampment in Des Moines as severe storms swept across central Iowa, authorities said.
The death happened just before 8 a.m. in the 3300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, in the city’s Prospect Park area, while powerful thunderstorms and tornado warnings moved through the Des Moines metro. It was the most serious known consequence of a storm system that knocked out power to thousands and triggered repeated tornado alerts across the region.
What happened
Des Moines police and fire responded to a report of a traumatic injury at the encampment, according to police spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek. First responders found a 54-year-old man critically hurt after a tree broke apart and fell during the storm. Despite lifesaving efforts, including CPR, he died at the scene. His identity has not been released.
Police are investigating the death with help from the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office. As of late this morning, authorities had not released additional details about the man.
Man dies after tree falls on Des Moines homeless encampment
— Des Moines Register (@DMRegister) June 11, 2026
A morning of dangerous storms
The death came during a stretch of severe weather that hit the Des Moines area hard. The National Weather Service issued a series of tornado warnings for radar-indicated rotation across central Iowa through the morning, covering parts of Polk, Dallas, Story and Boone counties, among others. A tornado watch remained in effect for dozens of counties into the afternoon.
The storms caused widespread damage and outages. Nearly 15,000 Iowans were without power as of 8 a.m., according to MidAmerican Energy, with about 9,000 of those in Des Moines and roughly 5,500 in Council Bluffs. Downed trees blocked roads in several areas, including part of Iowa Highway 141 north of Grimes, while hail up to an inch and wind gusts around 60 mph were reported. A trained weather spotter near Coburg reported a tornado that caused tree damage early today, and flash flooding left water across roads in Page County.
Part of a larger system
The Iowa storms were one piece of a broad severe weather pattern moving across the central United States this week, the same system that has spawned tornado warnings, flooding and damaging winds in multiple states. By midday the storms were pushing into eastern Iowa, with the threat expected to keep shifting east.
The added danger for people without shelter
The location of the death points to a particular vulnerability. When tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings are issued, officials urge people to move indoors to a sturdy building, guidance that is far harder to follow for those living outside. People experiencing homelessness face elevated risk during high winds and falling debris, since tents and encampments offer little protection from the kind of tree failure that proved fatal today.
What happens next
The investigation into the man’s death is ongoing, and authorities are expected to release more information, including his identity, once the relevant steps are complete. For the broader metro, the immediate concern remained the weather, with crews working to clear downed trees and restore power as the severe threat moved out of the area.