At 7:37 AM, excuse me, on January 4th,
2024, the Perry Police Department responded to an active shooter
event at Perry High School.
Meanwhile, Dallas County Communications was also receiving multiple 911 calls
of an active shooter at the high school.
Perry Police officers responded within minutes.
They immediately made entry and witness students and faculty either
sheltering in place or running from the school.
Once inside, they located multiple individuals with gunshot wounds.
Officers immediately attempted to locate the source of the threat
and quickly found what appeared to be the shooter with
a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
As additional officers responded, a systematic approach search of the
school took place.
Officers located during the search of the school and improvised
explosive device,
the State Fire Marshall and the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms rendered the device safe.
Numerous officers from multiple agencies were able to secure the
school and verify no additional threats.
At the same time, first responders were rendering aid to
the victims who were later transported to area hospitals.
The shooter has been identified as 17 year old Dylan
Butler,
a student at Perry High School.
Butler was armed with a pump action shotgun and a
small caliber handgun.
Butler also made a number of social media posts in
and around the time of the shooting.
Law enforcement is working to secure those pieces of evidence.
All evidence thus far suggests that Butler acted alone.
There are 6 victims, one of them who is deceased.
That individual was a 6th grade student at Perry Middle
School.
The other five are being treated at area hospitals.
Four of the surviving student,
four of the victims surviving victims are students,
and the 5th is a school administrator.
The law enforcement response was swift and immediate.
Roughly 150 officers from local,
state and federal agencies responded within the hour.
The investigation in today's tragedy is ongoing.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is serving as the
lead investigative agency with assistance from the Perry Police Department,
the Dallas County Sheriff's Office,
the FBI, the ATF and the Dallas County Attorney's Office.