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Day: January 5, 2024
Following a tragic Thursday morning Iowa shooting at Perry High School in the town of Perry, where one child was killed, multiple people were seriously injured, and the suspected shooter died of a presumed self-inflicted wound, right-wing extremists and influencers have centered on the shooter’s speculated LGBTQ+ identity based on a Pride flag emoji on a since- disabled TikTok profile.
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Late Thursday afternoon, Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, provided updates on the alleged shooter and the situation.
The Perry Police Department responded to the active shooter event, and upon arrival, they found students and faculty either sheltering in place or fleeing the school, Mortvedt reported. Inside, multiple victims with gunshot wounds were discovered. The shooter, identified as 17-year-old Dylan Butler, a student at Perry High School, was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Mortvedt mentioned that Butler was armed with a shotgun and a handgun and had made several social media posts around the time of the shooting.
Mortvedt confirmed that there were six victims in the shooting: one deceased sixth-grade student from Perry Middle School and five others injured, including four students and a school administrator.
While law enforcement has not commented about the alleged shooter’s gender identity or sexual orientation, social media users focused on the appearance of a Pride flag on an account allegedly linked to the shooter, and it led to a narrative amplified by right-wing influencers online. That account is no longer available, but screen grabs of its content have circulated widely on social media.
NEW: Officials have identified 17-year-old Dylan Butler as the student who carried out the shooting at Perry High School in Iowa.nnButler was reportedly an LGBTQ student who identified with the pronouns ‘he/they’ and ‘gender fluid.’nnButler appeared to interact with transgenderxe2x80xa6
Chaya Raichik, known for running the anti-LGBTQ+ Libs of TikTok social media accounts, began posting hours before the shooter was identified, alleging him to be gender fluid, based upon a hashtag allegedly included in the person’s social media footprint. She later posted a meme inaccurately linking several mass shooters to the LGBTQ+ community. Elon Musk amplified this idea on the platform X, formerly Twitter.
The meme referenced several shootings: In Tennessee, Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who police said identified as transgender, was responsible for a 2023 school shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville; in Colorado, Anderson Lee Aldrich, behind the 2022 mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, was asserted by their lawyers to be nonbinary. However, this claim has been met with skepticism due to Aldrich’s known anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. In Denver, Alec McKinney, a transgender teenager, was involved in a 2019 shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, and in 2018, in Maryland, Snochia Moseley, identified as transgender, carried out a shooting at an Aberdeen Rite Aid distribution center.
Crucially, the meme included a photo that it claimed was the shooter from the 2022 Uvalde, Texas, school massacre. The shooter was not the person in the image and was not transgender.
Later, Raichik posted from her Libs of TikTok account, “This is the trans genderfluid te*ror*st who shot up a school in Iowa today. Trans extremists are a serious threat. The media will bury this.”
Historically, most mass shooters have not been trans or nonbinary people.
Reuters Fact Check clarifies that the cases pointed out by Raichik represent a tiny fraction of mass shootings. Cisgender men carry out the majority of such incidents. The Violence Project and the Gun Violence Archive confirm that instances involving transgender or nonbinary shooters are exceedingly rare. The Gun Violence Archive recorded over 4,400 mass shootings in the last decade, with known transgender suspects in fewer than 10 cases, translating to about 0.11 percent of all shootings. Additionally, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center reported that nearly all attackers in mass attacks they studied were male, with only a small fraction being transgender.
While there have been isolated incidents involving transgender or nonbinary people in mass shootings, these are not representative of the broader trend. The predominant demographic of mass shooters remains cisgender men, debunking the narrative propagated by certain right-wing figures and influencers that seek to incorrectly associate mass shootings predominantly with the LGBTQ+ community.
Angela Ferell-Zaballa, executive director of Moms Demand Action, warned against accepting false narratives in the wake of gun violence in a statement to The Advocate.
“We are only days into 2024, and already students are being shot in school,” Ferell-Zaballa said, noting that the gun violence epidemic in America exists because of lax gun laws and lawmaker inaction.
“Extremists often try to muddy the waters by blaming our gun violence crisis on mental health or gender identity, when often people with these lived realities are most likely to be victims of gun violence, rather than perpetrators of it,” she continued. “In the case of the shooting today in Iowa or the countless other acts of gun violence every single day, the common denominator is always the gun and the weak laws that allow these tragedies to happen. This senseless violence needs to stop because sending your children to school shouldn’t be a death sentence.”
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, also cautioned against accepting these conspiracy theories.
“This news is a tragedy, for those directly harmed, their families, their fellow students and educators, and the broader community. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children in America today, and it is unequivocally wrong, no matter the shooter or their motive,” Ellis said in a statement to The Advocate. “Media outlets that speculate on the shooter’s identity or their support of LGBTQ rights instead of focusing on those impacted are contributing to a false and sweeping narrative about vulnerable communities. We all deserve to feel safe when going about our lives, and we need to protect our children most of all. Media outlets and leaders have an obligation to humanize the victims and survivors during this painful time, not to sensationalize the harms of gun violence or bring fame to the shooter.”
Humans Rights Campaign national press secretary Brandon Wolf, who survived the horrific 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando also did not hold back in his criticism of Raichik.
“Chaya Raichik, in her never-ending quest for clicks, is using a horrific shooting to try and drum up anti-LGBTQ+ hysteria for her cause. In truth, LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately impacted by gun violence, a reality made worse by those like her, who demonize the community at every turn and peddle dangerous, bogus narratives in exchange for influence. More shameless cruelty from someone whose brand is built on it,” Wolf said.
This story is developing.
#News #Times #NewsAndTimes #NT #TNT #Israel #World #USA #POTUS #DOJ #FBI #CIA #DIA #ODNI #Mossad #Putin #Russia #GRU #Ukraine #SouthCaucasus #NewAbwehr #Bloggers #DylanButler appears to be the telling name, and possibly refers to the events of the October 7 Attack on Israel:… pic.twitter.com/GTbsmEJwLP
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) January 5, 2024
#News #Times #NewsAndTimes #NT #TNT #Israel #World #USA #POTUS #DOJ #FBI #CIA #DIA #ODNI #Mossad #Putin #Russia #GRU #Ukraine #SouthCaucasus #NewAbwehr #Bloggers #DylanButler appears to be the telling name, and possibly refers to the events of the October 7 Attack on Israel:… pic.twitter.com/UbdHZzKTv4
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) January 5, 2024
#News #Times #NewsAndTimes #NT #TNT #Israel #World #USA #POTUS #DOJ #FBI #CIA #DIA #ODNI #Mossad #Putin #Russia #GRU #Ukraine #SouthCaucasus #NewAbwehr #Bloggers #DylanButler appears to be the telling name, and possibly refers to the events of the October 7 Attack on Israel:… pic.twitter.com/Mxe1XULs8o
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A 17-year-old suspect opened fire at Perry Middle and High School in Iowa on Thursday morning, killing a sixth-grade student and injuring five others, police said.
The shooter — identified as student Dylan Butler — was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities revealed at an afternoon press conference.
They also said an improvised explosive device was discovered in the school, located around 40 miles northwest of Des Moines. Law enforcement officials added the suspect was armed with a pump action shotgun and a handgun.
Social media posts Butler made around the time of the shooting suggest he acted alone, authorities said.
Among the injured are four students and a school administrator. The shooting comes days before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15, which will mark the start of the 2024 Republican primary election.
Our live coverage has now ended.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER22 updates
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U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona posted a message Thursday evening on the school shooting in Perry, Iowa.
I’m devastated over the shooting at Perry High School today. ⁰⁰Just last month I visited Perry, Iowa and met the amazing students, teachers, and leaders that make up the community. It’s hard to think of how that community is mourning today.⁰⁰Perry, IA @usedgov is with you.
— Secretary Miguel Cardona (@SecCardona) January 4, 2024
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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in the state to be lowered to half-staff on Thursday following the shooting at Perry High School.
I have ordered all flags to be lowered to half staff in support of the Perry community.
This senseless tragedy has shaken our entire state to its core. I want this community to know that every Iowan stands with you.https://t.co/gCLpf9idW1
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) January 4, 2024
DeSantis speaks during a campaign stop in Waukee, Iowa, Wednesday. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Thursday’s deadly school shooting comes less than two weeks before the Iowa caucuses.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is hoping for a strong finish in the state, responded to news of the shooting that left a sixth-grade student dead and five other people injured by saying he did not back new federal gun restrictions.
“I think it is more of a local and state issue. But we’ve shown how it’s done in Florida. The things that we’ve done have been very, very effective,” DeSantis said in a Thursday interview with NBC News and the Des Moines Register.
“I don’t support infringing the rights of law-abiding citizens with respect to the ability to exercise their constitutional rights,” DeSantis added.
Perry High School’s principal, Dan Marburger, was among those injured in Thursday’s shooting, according to reports from ABC and the Des Moines Register.
“This morning our state is grieving after learning of a school shooting that took place at Perry High School,” the Easton Valley Community School District said in a statement posted on Facebook.
“Sadly, we have also received information that one of our former East Central graduates, Dan Marburger, was one of the victims injured in the incident. We have not confirmed the extent of his injuries so we wanted to send out a message asking for thoughts and prayers for him and his family. Dan has served as a principal for the Perry Community School District since 1995.”
In an afternoon joint press conference on Thursday, Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, identified the Perry High School shooter as 17-year-old Perry High School student Dylan Butler.
When police arrived, Butler was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Mortvedt. He said Butler was armed with a pump action shot gun and a hand gun. An improvised explosive device, determined by law enforcement to be safe, was also found on the scene. The gunman evidently acted alone.
Mortvedt said that a sixth-grade student at Perry Middle School was killed in the shooting. Four of the surviving victims were students, and another was a school administrator.
Mortvedt added that Butler had made social media posts at and around the time of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing.
Per the Des Moines Register, Polk County Healthcare Systems said in a statement that the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that all victims taken to Iowa Methodist Medical Center and MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, have been reunited with their families.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety has scheduled a joint press conference for 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT to “provide an update on the active shooter event that occurred” on Thursday morning.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said earlier Thursday that she would join law enforcement agencies at the press conference.
Multiple people were transported to nearby hospitals after the shooting on Thursday morning, according to the Polk County Medical Coordination Center.
Police said at an earlier press conference there were “multiple gunshot victims” at Perry High School. “We’re still unclear exactly how many are injured or what the extent of those are, but we’re working on that right now,” Dallas County, Iowa, Sheriff Adam Infante said.
A man and children leave the McCreary Community Building after being reunited following a shooting at Perry High School, in Perry, Iowa, Thursday. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)
Kris Brown, president of the Brady gun violence prevention organization, released the following statement after the school shooting in Perry, Iowa:
New year, same horror. These students were returning to campus after their holiday break only to be met with gun violence that has uniquely plagued their generation. No child should have to hide in their classrooms fearing for their lives. No teacher should have to stand guard over their students potentially shielding them from bullets. No parent should have to fear that any day they send their child to school could be their last.
2024 should not start this way for the students of Perry High School or any student in our nation. Our hearts are with all the affected students, teachers, school staff, parents, and community members. This year — as with every year — we are resolved to end this deadly epidemic and free America from gun violence.
A police cruiser sits outside Perry Middle School and High School following Thursday’s shooting. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Ava Augustus, a senior at Perry High School, told the Associated Press that she was in a counselor’s office when she heard three shots. She and other people in the room barricaded the door.
“And then we hear: ‘He’s down. You can go out,’” Augustus said. ”And I run and you can just see glass everywhere, blood on the floor. I get to my car and they’re taking a girl out of the auditorium who had been shot in her leg.”
Another student, identified as Carlos, told NBC News that he heard “a couple of bangs” and saw fellow students running but “thought it was like a prank.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House on Thursday. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
At the top of Thursday’s briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden is “tracking the shooting at Perry Middle and High School in Iowa.”
“Our hearts break for the families of the victims in yet another act of senseless gun violence,” Jean-Pierre said. “We are grateful for the brave first responders who are on the scene.”
She added: “It’s only the fourth day in the new year and we are already faced with another horrific school shooting, and the question that we ask is, when will enough be enough?”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds addressed Thursday’s school shooting in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“Our hearts are broken by this senseless tragedy,” Reynolds wrote. “Our prayers are with the students, teachers & families of the Perry Community.”
The governor said she would be joining law enforcement agencies at a press conference later Thursday.
Our hearts are broken by this senseless tragedy. Our prayers are with the students, teachers & families of the Perry Community.
I have been in contact with law enforcement agencies & am continuing to monitor the situation. I will be joining their press conference today.
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) January 4, 2024
The Republican senator from Iowa called this morning’s shooting in Perry “appalling” and “heartbreaking.”
“Barbara + I are grateful for quick response by school officials &law enforcement to protect students +restore safety,” he tweeted. “The Perry community is strong& will band 2gether thru hard time.”
Todays appalling violence at Perry HS is heartbreaking Barbara + I are grateful for quick response by school officials &law enforcement to protect students +restore safety. The Perry community is strong& will band 2gether thru hard time Im here 2help if addtl fed resources needed
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) January 4, 2024
The Associated Press, citing a law enforcement source, reported that the school shooter has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
During a news conference this morning, Dallas County, Iowa, Sheriff Adam Infante said the shooter was identified, but he did not release any more information.
According to the Des Moines Register, the Perry Community School District has canceled all classes Friday following the shooting at Perry High School and is offering counseling services today at the Perry Public Library.
Crossroads Church in Perry, Iowa said in a Facebook post that it is planning a prayer vigil for 7 p.m. today, Thursday. The church invited the entire community to gather together in response to the shooting.
Dallas County, Iowa, Sheriff Adam Infante speaks outside Perry High School in Iowa on Thursday. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
At an abbreviated press briefing, Dallas County, Iowa, Sheriff Adam Infante said police received reports of an active shooter at the school at 7:37 a.m. local time. The first officer arrived within minutes, he said, and “located multiple gunshot victims.”
“We’re still unclear exactly how many are injured or what the extent of those are, but we’re working on that right now,” Infante said, adding: “There is no further danger to the public.
The community is safe. We’re just now working backward trying to figure out everything that happened and then make notifications.”
School had not started yet when the shooting occurred, Infante said, “so luckily there [were] very few students and faculty in the building.”
Another briefing is expected later this afternoon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Des Moines office said Thursday that its agents have responded to the scene of the shooting in Perry, Iowa, to assist the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
An alert posted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Kansas City, Mo., said that its agents were assisting police in the response to the shooting at Perry High School.
Police respond at Perry High School in Iowa on Thursday. (Andrew Harnick/AP)
Images captured by Associated Press photographer Andrew Harnick show a massive law enforcement response to Thursday’s shooting at Perry High School.
Kevin Shelley told the Associated Press that his 15-year-old son, Zander Shelly, a student at Perry High School, happened to be in a hallway waiting for classes to start when he heard gunshots. He made it to a nearby classroom but was grazed twice. He then texted his dad.
“It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” Kevin Shelley said after telling his boss he had to run.
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