Authorities are investigating a shooting that claimed a sixth-grader’s life and left five others injured Thursday morning at Perry High School in Iowa.
Those wounded include four students and the school’s principal, authorities said. On Thursday, officials declined to identify the victims by name. They identified the shooter as 17-year-old Dylan Butler.
Officials identify sixth-grader who was killed
Update 5:55 p.m. EST Jan. 5: The Iowa Department of Public Safety on Friday said that the Iowa State Medical Examiner performed autopsies on the shooter, Dylan Butler, and the victim who died in the Perry High School shooting Thursday morning.
The middle schooler who was killed in the shooting was identified as Ahmir Jolliff, 11, the Iowa Department of Public Safety said. His cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds and his manner of death was ruled a homicide.
The Iowa State Medical Examiner confirmed that Butler died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and his manner of death was ruled a suicide, officials said.
Seven others were injured, which is an increase of two. Three victims are school staff members and the other four are students.
Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger was identified as one of the victims with multiple gunshot wounds. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says he remains in critical condition.
“The investigation thus far confirms Principal Marburger acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students.”
— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Officials say 1 killed, 5 others injured
Update 4:19 p.m. EST Jan. 4: A sixth-grade student was killed and five others were injured in Thursday’s shooting, Mitch Mortvedt of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
The five injured include four students and the school’s principal. The sixth-grade student who was killed was a student at the middle school, officials said.
The shooting happened before school started and was contained to Perry High School. Authorities said they found an explosive device while searching the building after the shooting. Iowa’s state fire marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms “rendered the device safe,” Mortvedt said.
The shooter was identified by Mortvedt as Dylan Butler, 17. Mortvedt said officials were only identifying the shooter by name on Thursday afternoon. The victims have not yet been identified.
— Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
White House: ‘Our hearts break’ for families of Perry High School shooting victims
Update 3:45 p.m. EST Jan. 4: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shared condolences for the families impacted by Thursday’s shooting at Perry High School.
“Our hearts break for the families of the victims in yet another act of senseless gun violence,” she said during a White House news briefing. “We are grateful for the brave first responders who are on the scene.”
She also urged Congress to take action to curb gun violence, calling for universal background checks and other measures.
“We cannot allow these tragedies to continue,” she said.
Officials to share more information Thursday afternoon
Update 2:05 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Authorities are expected to share more information Thursday afternoon on a shooting reported earlier in the day at Perry High School.
Officials will speak at a news conference scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EST).
A press conference will be held in Perry at 3 p.m. https://t.co/xmxyljN0cl
— Iowa Department of Public Safety (@IowaDPS) January 4, 2024
‘Our hearts are broken by this senseless tragedy,’ Iowa governor says
Update 1:15 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Gov Kim Reynolds shared prayers for the community of Perry following Thursday’s shooting at Perry High School.
“Our hearts are broken by this senseless tragedy,” she wrote in a social media post.
She added that she plans to be at a news conference planned for later Thursday.
Our hearts are broken by this senseless tragedy. Our prayers are with the students, teachers & families of the Perry Community.
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) January 4, 2024
I have been in contact with law enforcement agencies & am continuing to monitor the situation. I will be joining their press conference today.
Sen. Grassley calls Perry High School shooting ‘heartbreaking’
Update 12:30 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Sen. Chuck Grassley called the shooting Thursday at Perry High School “heartbreaking” and offered his help if additional federal resources are needed.
In a post on social media, the Iowa Republican said he and his wife “are grateful for (the) quick response by school officials &law enforcement to protect students (and) restore safety.”
“The Perry community is strong,” he added.
Todays appalling violence at Perry HS is heartbreaking Barbara + I are grateful for quick response by school officials &law enforcement to protect students +restore safety. The Perry community is strong& will band 2gether thru hard time Im here 2help if addtl fed resources needed
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) January 4, 2024
At least 3 injured in shooting, reports indicate
Update 12:15 p.m. EST Jan. 4: At least three people appear to have been injured in Thursday morning’s shooting at Perry High School, according to reports.
Kevin Shelley told news outlets including the Des Moines Register that his son, 15-year-old Zander, was grazed by a bullet and suffered minor injuries. Officials with the UnityPoint Health system told NBC News that it had two patients with gunshot wounds after the shooting.
At a news conference earlier Thursday, officials declined to specify how many people were believed to have been injured or the extent of their wounds.
Suspected shooter dead, official says
Update 12:10 p.m. EST Jan. 4: The person suspected of opening fire Thursday morning at Perry High School has died, an unidentified law enforcement source told The Associated Press.
They died of a gunshot wound that appeared to be self-inflicted, according to the AP.
Earlier, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante confirmed that authorities had identified the shooter, although he declined to share details about them, including their condition.
Sheriff: Shooter identified; ‘There is no further danger to the public’
Update 11:20 a.m. EST Jan. 4: The person who opened fire early Thursday at Perry High School has been identified, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said.
The sheriff declined to identify the shooter or say whether they attended the high school. He did not say whether the shooter or anyone else was killed on Thursday and declined to say whether officials have made any arrests.
“There is no further danger to the public,” Infante said Thursday at a news conference. “The community is safe.”
‘Multiple gunshot victims’ found at Perry High School, sheriff says
Update 11:15 a.m. EST Jan. 4: Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said authorities found “multiple gunshot victims” after responding to a shooting Thursday morning at Perry High School.
Infante declined to say how many people are believed to have been injured or share information on their conditions.
“We’re still unclear of exactly how many are injured or what the extent of those are, but we’re working on that right now,” he said at a brief news conference on Thursday.
“We’re just now working backwards, trying to figure out everything that happened and make notifications.”
The shooting happened before classes started Thursday, the sheriff said.
ATF assisting in Perry High School investigation
Update 10:55 a.m. EST Jan. 4: Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have responded to the shooting reported Thursday at Perry High School.
ATF has responded to the Active Shooter at the Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. Please follow @IowaDPS for updates. pic.twitter.com/6AKSbXAxa4
— ATF Kansas City (@ATFKansasCity) January 4, 2024
Officials plan to release an initial statement at 10 a.m. local time (11 a.m. EST) to share preliminary information on the shooting, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. A news conference is expected later Thursday.
Father says his son was injured in shooting
Update 10:50 a.m. EST Jan. 4: A man told reporters that his son was grazed by two bullets during a shooting Thursday at Perry High School.
Kevin Shelley said his 15-year-old son, Zander, had minor injuries, the Des Moines Register reported. He added that the teen saw the school’s principal being shot.
Zander texted his dad about the shooting just after 7:35 a.m. and Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss that he had to leave work, according to The Associated Press.
“It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he told the AP.
Officials have not shared any information yet on injuries related to the shooting.
First reports of shooting surfaced around 7:40 am
Update 10:35 a.m. EST Jan. 4: Authorities first learned of the shooting at Perry High School around 7:40 a.m., WHO-DT reported.
A call for two medical helicopters went out less than 10 minutes later, the Des Moines Register reported.
‘Site has been secured,’ officials say
Update 10:25 a.m. EST Jan. 4: Dallas County officials said in a post on social media that the “site has been secured” after a reported shooting at Perry High School on Thursday morning.
“Multiple law enforcement and medical staff are on site for a shooting at Perry High School,” the post read. “The site has been secured and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office will release more information as it becomes available.”
Authorities did not immediately say whether anyone was injured in the shooting.
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Original report: Dallas County officials confirmed that authorities were called to the school as classes resumed on the first day back from winter break, according to KCCI and KCWI. A spokesperson for the Perry Police Department told NBC News that they were dealing with “an active shooting at the high school,” though more information was not immediately available.
Authorities at the school told the Des Moines Register that by 9 a.m. local time (10 a.m. EST), they “believe it is no longer an active situation.”
A news conference is expected later Thursday.
Officials did not immediately say whether anyone was injured at the school, although WHO-DT reported that multiple ambulances were seen leaving the campus.
Nearby schools were closed or sheltering in place as authorities continue to investigate.
Perry, a city about 40 miles northwest of Des Moines, has a population of about 7,800. Its high school is part of the Perry Community School District which serves about 1,785 students.
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