Tragedy Strikes Perry High School: Shooting Leaves Multiple Victims
Perry High School, located about 40 miles northwest of downtown Des Moines in Dallas County, was the scene of a devastating shooting early Thursday morning. Reports of the shooting, which indicated there may be multiple victims, prompted a heavy police and medical presence at the school.
According to police on the scene, a shooter was confirmed to have been at the school, but the situation is now believed to be no longer active. Streets for several blocks were barricaded, and law enforcement from across central Iowa rushed to the scene. A medical helicopter was also seen landing at the school at approximately 8:30 a.m.
As concerned parents started arriving at the school around 8:50 a.m. to find their students, a city spokesperson confirmed that a nearby elementary school was locked down, with all students being kept in their rooms.
The first call from dispatch came at about 7:37 a.m., with reports of multiple subjects injured at the school. An unknown first responder reported finding a deceased male subject in the hallway, along with other victims. Calls for two medical helicopters were made at 7:46 a.m.
High school students were evacuated to Perry Lutheran Homes and the Iowa National Guard Armory. Meanwhile, parents were instructed to pick up their students at the elementary school about a mile west of the high school.
One parent, Erica Jolliff, expressed her distress as she searched for her son, a sixth-grader, who was at the school during the incident. She stated, “I just want to know that he’s safe and OK. They won’t tell me nothing.”
Travis Landgrebe, a Perry School Board member, said he could not confirm or deny any reports but confirmed that his son was unharmed. “I am praying for all involved,” Landgrebe stated.
The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District, and Thursday marked the first day back in school for students following the holiday break.
This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more details emerge.