Middle school student dead, several others injured after shooting at Iowa high school

PERRY, Iowa (TCD) — Several people were hurt and the suspected shooter is dead after gunfire broke out at a local high school early Thursday morning.

Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said in an initial press conference the first alert about an active shooter at Perry High School occurred at 7:37 a.m. Officers arrived within seven minutes and found multiple victims injured. Infante said it was “still unclear how many are injured or what the extent of the injuries are.”

The shooting took place before school started, which mitigated the number of victims.

Infante said the suspect had been identified, but he declined to share additional information. He emphasized that there was “no further danger to the public.”

The Associated Press reports the shooting occurred on the school’s first day back from winter break. The suspected shooter is reportedly believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Many of the victims were reportedly transported to hospitals in Des Moines, which is about 40 miles from Perry.

In an afternoon press conference, Mitch Mortvedt with the Iowa Department of Public Safety identified the shooter as 17-year-old Dylan Butler. He was armed with a pump action shotgun and small caliber handgun. Mortvedt said investigators believe Butler acted alone. Officials searched the school and reportedly found an improvised explosive device, but the Iowa State Fire Marshal and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms “rendered the device safe.”

Butler reportedly posted on social media around the time of the shooting.

According to Mortvedt, six people were injured in the shooting, not including Butler. One victim, a 6th grade student, died from their wounds. Four of the other victims are students and the last victim is a school administrator.

This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated.

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