Perry, Iowa – A tragic shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa left a sixth grade student dead and several others injured, including four students and a school administrator. The incident occurred Thursday morning, as the school community was beginning the second semester following winter break.
Authorities confirmed that the shooter, identified as 17-year-old Dylan Butler, acted alone and was later found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooting, which involved the use of a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun, also involved the discovery of a “rudimentary” explosive device that was neutralized by law enforcement.
According to assistant director Mitch Mortvedt of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, the shooter had made social media posts prior to the incident, but his motive remains unknown as the investigation continues. The high school and middle school in Perry are connected, and it is believed that students from different grades may have been present in the cafeteria at the time of the shooting.
Law enforcement agencies responded swiftly to the incident, with the first officer arriving on the scene within 7 minutes of the initial alert. Approximately 150 officers from various agencies, including the Perry Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, responded within the hour.
Perry, a town of 7,800 people situated about 40 miles northwest of Des Moines, Iowa, had its high school recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education just a month prior to the tragic event.
The shooting at Perry High School has left a community in shock and mourning, and investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the incident. All students were quickly reunified with their parents in the hours following the shooting, and law enforcement authorities have assured the public that there is no further danger.