What we know about the Perry High School shooting victims, suspect and community response
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One sixth-grade student, Ahmir Jalliff, was killed and seven other people injured in a shooting Thursday morning at Perry High School that also left the shooter dead, law enforcement officials said.
Four of those injured were students and one was identified as a school administrator, who was confirmed as Principal Dan Marburger. The other two injured were described as staff members. Marburger and two students remained hospitalized as of Friday afternoon.
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When did the Perry, Iowa, school shooting occur?
The shooting started at about 7:37 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, authorities said, around 20 minutes before school began at Perry High School for the first day of the second semester.
High school students were evacuated to Perry Lutheran Homes and the Iowa National Guard Armory.
What we know about Dylan Butler, the Perry school shooter
Police identified the shooter as 17-year-old Dylan Butler, who investigators say died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police said they found and disabled an improvised explosive device in the school and the shooter was armed with pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Police also said he made several posts on social media "in and around the time of the shooting," including a photo posted on TikTok in a bathroom before it began.
Read More: 17-year-old Perry High School shooting suspect posted photo on TikTok before shooting
What we know about Ahmir Jolliff, the 11-year-old killed in the Perry shooting?
The Iowa Medical Examiner's Office on Friday identified the boy killed in the Perry High School shootings as Ahmir Jolliff, 11. It said the boy had suffered three gunshot wounds.
Ahmir's mother, Erica, described her son as a font of happiness and sociability, who seemingly knew everyone in town and whose ample dimples were constantly lit up by a perpetual grin.
“He was so well-loved and he loved everyone,” she said in an interview with the Associated Press. “He’s such an outgoing person.”
A visitation will be held in Perry on Wednesday, Jan. 10 and a funeral will be held Thursday, Jan. 11.
More: Funeral set for Ahmir Jolliff, 11-year-old killed in Perry school shooting
Who else was injured in the Iowa school shooting?
It also confirmed that Perry High Principal Dan Marburger was among the wounded, and that, as his daughter Claire had posted on Facebook, he had "acted selflessly and placed himself in harm’s way in an apparent effort to protect his students." He was listed in critical condition.
The office said the number of surviving victims had increased to seven from five, but that all but three ― Marburger and two students ― have been released from hospitals.
Read More: 11-year-old boy identified as victim in Perry High School shooting that wounded 7 others
Read More: What we know about Perry's high school principal, who was reportedly shot Thursday morning
What is the community saying following the Perry shooting?
Vigils were held in the evening at churches, a factory and in a park to mourn the violence, which left a sixth-grader dead.
Sebastian Robles, a senior at Perry High School, was chatting with some of his classmates while waiting for a meal to begin during a vigial at the Progressive Foundary factory. The first day back at school from winter break had not turned out at all like he expected.
“I woke up this morning and took a shower, tried to look a little decent for the first day back. I was thinking it would be a good day and I woke up to this,” Robles said.
Iowa State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines joined the crowd of Perry residents at Crossroads Church at the end of a tough, sad day, sharing his story about losing his own son to gun violence.
He led them in a call-and-response prayer as they repeated his words: "But together, we will heal with our pain. Together, we will stand. Together, because you are my brothers and my sisters, and we are a family, in this, together."
In other gatherings, teachers and students shared their experiences inside the school.
Read More: Community gatherings bring solace to grieving town, "tonight, we are all Perry strong"
How can I help victims of the Iowa school shooting?
LifeServe Blood Center, the main blood provider for hospitals in Dallas and Polk counties that are treating victims, posted on social media that it sent additional blood products to those hospitals.
It also requested those who are able to schedule an appointment to donate blood by http://lifeserve.info/schedule or calling 800-287-4903.
Read More: Here's how you can help the victims and families from the Perry school shooting
Have school shootings happened in Iowa before?
Unfortunately, Iowa has a history of school shootings. There have been at least six occurrences of shots fired in or around schools and school-related programs during the last 10 years.
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa school shooting: What we know about the victims, suspect and more
