Two pedestrians were killed in Des Moines Saturday night by a driver witnesses said appeared to deliberately target a crowd.

Police arrested Travaris Chancellor of Chicago on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of 45-year-old Brenda Coplen and 25-year-old Sharosa Odie, both of Des Moines. They were taken to a hospital where they died.

Police say a fight was going on at the scene when they arrived and they were not immediately able to assist the two women who had been hit until they dispersed the crowd with pepper spray.

Chancellor was being held Sunday at the Polk County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bond.