New details are being released regarding Thursday morning's school shooting at Perry High School in Iowa. Multiple people were shot Thursday morning, and the suspect has been identified, according to Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante at a press conference. However, details on the suspect are not being released at this time. Infante stated that law enforcement received reports of a shooting at the school before school started at approximately 7:40 am, and units were immediately dispatched to the school, along with other emergency personnel. 

Heavy police and medical presence was seen at the high school, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Des Moines in Dallas County, after reports of a shooting that could include multiple victims.

Streets for several blocks are 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.

The first calls reporting the shooting went out at 7:37 am, and according to dispatchers, they were able to access the school's cameras and reported seeing something in the west hallway. According to a recording of a police scanner, a dispatcher could be heard advising responding units that there are "reports of multiple subjects injured at this time."

One of the first responding officers, who remains unknown at this time, reported on the radio that he observed a "male subject down in the hallway" with an apparent "self-inflicted" wound. He later reported that the subject was "deceased." The high school students were all evacuated to Perry Lutheran Homes and the Iowa National Guard Armory.

BREAKING: Helicopter at the scene at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa after a shooting took place on the first day back to school.

Terrible.

The first reports of an active shooter came in at 7:40 a.m local time.

According to a MercyOne Hospital spokesperson, victims were… pic.twitter.com/GYkEpQcuvM

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 4, 2024

A nearby middle school was also placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure, with all students and staff barricaded in their rooms and offices. Parents began arriving around 9:00 am to find and pick up their children. According to witnesses and students at Perry High School, several shots were heard being fired about 20 minutes before school was supposed to start.

Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice at 7:37 a.m. — she had just looked at her watch — when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.

“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So we ran.” 

Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran, but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.

“At that moment I didn’t care about anything except getting out because I had to get home with my son,” she said.

Sheriff Infante stated that it was unknown exactly how many people were shot or injured and the extent of the injuries. But they were working on getting the information out as soon as they could. Infante further stated that details on the suspect were known but that they would not release any of that information at this time. 

According to officials with UnityPoint Health, two gunshot victims from Perry High School were transported via ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines following the shooting at the school. According to two teachers at the school, Principal Dan Marburger was one of the victims who were shot. A parent, Kevin Shelly, said that his 15-year-old son Zander was grazed by two bullets and described his injuries as minor. His son claimed to have seen the principal getting shot as well. 

"My son was inside, said he heard gunshots and immediately started running," Kevin Shelley said. "They got into a classroom with a teacher that kept them hidden and safe."

Zander broke his glasses as he was running away, his father said.

According to a district message, all staff have been told that they have been released to go home. "Do not return to the building. More information will be available later," the message said. Local schools around Perry High were also sending their students and staff home as well, with parents reuniting with their children around 9:00 am.