Tragic Shootout at Perry High School as shooter killed
Authorities in Perry, Iowa, have reported a shootout incident at the local high school on Thursday, marking the students’ return to classes after the winter break. Two individuals who sustained gunshot wounds were transported to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Perry High School, where the shootout incident occurred, had relatively few students and faculty present at the time. Police say a sixth-grade student was killed and five others were injured.
According to Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante, the suspected shooter, believed to have taken his own life, has not been publicly identified due to ongoing investigations. The shootout incident took place even before the school day began, with security administrators promptly responding after reports of an active shooter at 7:37 a.m. Emergency services surrounded the school, which houses both the high school and middle school.
Zander Shelley, a 15-year-old student, experienced the terrifying event firsthand, escaping to a classroom after hearing gunshots. He contacted his father, Kevin Shelley, who, describing the situation, said, “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life.”
Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, recounted hearing gunshots during jazz band practice, prompting a swift evacuation. Students and staff fled the school premises, with some reporting additional shots during the chaotic situation.
FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office joined the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh emphasized the absence of confirmed details on the individuals involved in the shootout.
Parents, like Erica Jolliff, expressed distress as they sought information about the safety of their children. Jolliff’s daughter reported being rushed from the school grounds, but her son remained unaccounted for at the time.
Jasmine Augustine, who was at the high school after the incident, described the rapid police response and the tense atmosphere in the aftermath. “I was at Casey’s convenience store and saw one car speed by. I thought it was just someone getting pulled over,” she said. She said that when she reached the school, she was informed by someone that there was a shooter in the school and that she hurried up and left the scene.
“After that, there’s just tons and tons and tons of cops who came,” said Augustine. Her sister attends the school but wasn’t near the scene at that time. She, along with her dad, picked up her sister afterward.
The Perry Community School District, with 1,785 students, serves a diverse population, with 31% of residents identifying as Hispanic. The shootout incident occurred against the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses, which is where Republican candidates were campaigning.
