US: Shooting Incident At Perry High School In Iowa, Police Say Multiple Victims

Perry, US: A horrific incident of shooting took place at the United States' Iowa on Thursday at the city’s high school. Police in Perry, Iowa, say there was a shooting Thursday at the city’s high school.

As per some X posts, Dylan Butler began firing his weapon inside Perry Highschool at approximately 7:37 Am.

A woman who answered the Perry Police Department phone confirmed the shooting at Perry High School but did not provide any further information.

An enormous number of emergency vehicles surrounded the building that houses the town’s middle school and high school. Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.

"I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing." The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Thursday was the first day back in school for students following the holiday break.

The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning. Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned.

Dallas County’s Emergency Management Agency said a new conference would be held later in the morning. Perry is about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) miles northwest of Des Moines.

Not sure on victims count

It was students’ first day back in classes after their annual winter break. An officer located multiple gunshot victims, but it’s still unclear how many people were injured.

Pray for the community in Perry, Iowa’: Ramaswamy

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who was hosting a campaign event in Perry on Thursday, took to X, formerly known as Twitter and wrote: ""Pray for the community in Perry, Iowa this morning."

In another post, Ramaswamy said, "I met two parents in Perry, Iowa this morning who came to us right after they picked up their daughter from elementary school, immediately after the school shooting at the high school. They hadn’t planned to come beforehand. We’re all longing to break down the fake siloes that stop us from talking to each other anymore."

Meanwhile, Linda Andorf, board president for the Perry Community School District, termed the incident as “disgusting.”

Calling the news of shooting is "terrible", the school president said: "It is horrendously awful," she said. "People need to figure out their life. This is just disgusting. It's terrible."

(With inputs from Associated Press)