Multiple people were shot at a high school in Perry, Iowa, Thursday morning, including the school’s principal.
The shooting reportedly began at approximately 7:37 a.m. and ended when the shooter turned the gun on himself.
The gunman died of what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Des Moines Register reported.
Heavy police and medical presence was seen at the high school, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Des Moines in Dallas County. Streets for several blocks were barricaded, dozens of law enforcement from across central Iowa were on scene and a medical helicopter was seen landing at the school at about 8:30 a.m.
Parents started arriving at about 8:50 a.m. to find their students.
Perry has a population of about 8,000 residents. The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. The middle school is in the same building. Thursday was the first day back in school for students following the holiday break.
Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger is among the victims of the shooting. The father of a 15-year-old who was “grazed by two bullets while in a school hallway” told the Des Moines Register that his son saw the gunman shoot the principal. The boy reportedly suffered only minor injuries.
Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds wrote on X, “Our hearts are broken by this senseless tragedy. Our prayers are with the students, teachers & families of the Perry Community. I have been in contact with law enforcement agencies & am continuing to monitor the situation. I will be joining their press conference today.”
The Daily Mail identified the shooter as Dylan Butler, a senior at Perry High School.
Butler appeared to be an LGBTQ advocate on social media.
He was allegedly active on TikTok under the account name “tooktoomuch,” which features a female anime character and a rainbow pride flag.
That account has been deleted, but not before social media users grabbed some of his last posts. MMA Fighter “Malcolm FleX” shared some of the posts on X.
Butler’s last post appeared to be in the bathroom of the school with the caption, “now we wait.” The TikTok video was posted with the song “Stray Bullet” playing in the background, the Daily Mail reported.
The Daily Mail reported that local news outlet WHO13 had identified this TikTok photo as Butler’s.
Conservative influencer Collin Rugg shared additional material from Butler’s TikTok account.
Conservative podcaster Kyle Becker posted another of Butler’s disturbing TikTok videos in which he talks in a distorted high voice about his “unisex” Louis Vuitton backpack.