And sixth grade student died and five other people were wounded after being shot by a 17-year-old suspect Thursday at a high school in a small Iowa town, authorities said in Perry, Iowa.
The suspect in the attack died from what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a police official assured The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital metropolitan area. The secondary school is located in the east end of the city.
Ava Augustus, a senior, said she was in a counselor’s office when she heard three gunshots. She and others blocked the door, preparing to throw things if necessary, since the window was too small to escape from.
“And then we heard, ‘He was shot down.’ You can come out,'” Augustus said through tears. “And I ran and I saw glass everywhere, blood on the floor. I got to my car and they were taking people out of the auditorium. a girl who had been shot in the leg.”