A shooting at Perry High School in Iowa on Thursday morning left one person dead and three injured, including a school administrator, according to law enforcement officials.
There are hundreds of emergency services on site, located 25 miles northwest of Des Moines. At 7:37 a.m., ambulances, several police units, rescue helicopters and firefighters were called to the school.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Office confirmed the shooting. The FBI Omaha Des Moines was on scene, as was the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive.
County Sheriff Adam Infante confirmed at an 11 a.m. news conference that police officers arrived at the high school seven minutes after the initial call.
First responders found “multiple gunshot victims” at the school, but Infante said they were still working to confirm the number of victims. He did not confirm whether anyone had died.
Local news agency WHO 13 said the shooter, who may have been a student, was believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Perry High School is on lockdown after a shooting was reported just after 7:30 this morning
Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante confirmed at an 11 a.m. news conference that police arrived at the high school seven minutes after the initial call
Police officers work the scene of a shooting at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa
Perry High School is on lockdown as investigators continue to work the scene
It is believed three people were injured, including a school investigator. One can be fatal
Adam Infante said there were few people in the building at the time of the shooting because the school day had not yet started.
Infante said there is no further threat to the community. They have identified the shooter but have not confirmed whether he is alive or deceased.
The sheriff said: “The community is safe.” “We are now working backwards to see what happened.”
Today is the first day back from winter break for the 1,785 students studying in the Perry Community School District. The high school is currently closed.
The number of possible injuries and victims has not yet been confirmed by police, but ABC reports that one person was killed in the shooting.
Armed police respond to high school shooting
A row of flashing red and blue police cars can be seen in front of the school
Two armed officers stand outside the high school and monitor the active shooter investigation
Several emergency services, including firefighters and ambulance personnel, were on site on Thursday morning. Police confirmed an active investigation into the shooter is underway
Carlos, a student at Perry High School, told WHO 13 that he and his friends initially thought the “loud banging noises” were part of a prank – before a teacher started yelling at the students, “Go, go, go.”
He said: “I heard a few bangs, they weren't loud.” We saw a lot of people running away. We thought it was a prank or something. “We didn’t think it was real at first.”
Erica Jolliff said her daughter, a ninth-grader, reported being rushed off school grounds at 7:45 a.m.
An hour later, Jolliff was still desperately searching for her son Amir, a sixth-grader.
“I just want to know he’s safe and doing well,” Jolliff said. “You won’t tell me anything.”
Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway waiting for the first day of school to start after recess when he heard gunshots and ran into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley.
The teen was patrolled twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.
Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to escape. “It was the most scared I’ve ever been in my entire life,” he said.
A helicopter has landed on the high school football field (pictured). Shots were reported at 7:37 a.m. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing crying students meeting with their parents near the high school entrance
The first shots were reported at 7:37 a.m. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing crying students meeting with their parents near the high school entrance.
Perry Elementary School and Perry Middle School – which are near the high school – were evacuated and the buildings were cleared at 8:32 a.m.
There is no active threat in this environment. The focus of the investigation is the high school, which was evacuated by a team of officers at 8:27 a.m.
An unknown number of victims were transported to MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, a hospital spokesperson confirmed.
Two gunshot victims are being treated at UnityPoint Hospital in Iowa, they confirmed.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m. local time, police issued a warning for people living in Woodward-Granger, a nearby community – but it was soon lifted.
An Iowa police officer stands in front of the high school on Thursday morning
A sign will be projected at the scene informing parents what to do when they arrive at school
The Dallas County Sheriff's Office confirmed the ongoing investigation into the shooting but said no further information was available at this time
Today is the first day back after winter break for Perry High School students
A helicopter landed on the high school football field.
Linda Andorf, board president of the Perry Community School District, said: “It's terribly terrible. “People need to figure out their lives.
“This is just disgusting. 'It's terrible.'
The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning.
Vivek Ramaswamy, who is planning a campaign rally in Perry today, wrote on X: “Pray for the church in Perry, Iowa this morning.”
The presidential candidate is expected to continue his event today, which takes place just five minutes from the high school.
Perry is a very diverse, working-class suburb of Des Moines.