A 17-year-old student from Perry High School in Iowa has been identified as the gunman responsible for killing a sixth grader and injuring five others, including the school’s principal. Dylan Butler turned the gun on himself after his rampage, according to police reports.
Butler was armed with a pump-action shotgun and a handgun, both of which are illegal for someone under the age of 18 to possess in Iowa. Additionally, he had a rudimentary explosive device in his possession, although it was not detonated and was eventually rendered safe by fire marshals.
The shooting took place on Thursday morning shortly after 7:30 am, and the school was evacuated as a result. Of the five people injured in the shooting, one is in critical condition, although the police did not confirm if it was the principal or a student.
Principal Dan Marburger was among those injured and was rushed to the hospital for surgery. The other four people who were injured in the shooting were students at the school.
Prior to the shooting, Butler had posted a video on TikTok showing himself in a stall in the school bathroom with a blue duffle bag on the ground. The caption of the video read, “Now we wait.” Hours later, the shooting took place, leaving the school community and the Perry community shocked and devastated.
The Perry High School community consists of 1,785 students, all of whom were evacuated on the first day of classes after winter break. Butler, a senior at the school, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound before first responders arrived at the scene.
