Ames experienced a 32.3% increase in 2023 in mental health calls for service to the communications center and the follow-up to these calls, according to the city. The 3,600 calls in 2023 include communication with family members, providers, clerk of court, attorneys and other resources. This communication is usually done by the Ames Mental Health.
Content Warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence. Iowa State students and the Iowa State University and Ames police departments reacted to gun violence and safety plans after the Perry High School shooting from Jan. 4. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been eight school shootings in the United States, including Perry.
The FBI has joined the search for 5-year-old Avery Doherty, who was reported missing to the Story County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 13, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has labeled the case as a familial abduction. Ames Police believe Esther Bender, Avery’s non-custodial mother, has been with Avery since the start of their.