Two victims were killed, and six others were injured in a school shooting this morning at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in Saint Louis, Missouri, one of the top five most dangerous cities in the nation.
The alleged gunman was shot and killed by police on the scene.
At approximately 9:00 a.m., the St. Louis Metropolitan Police received a call from a school security guard stating that a man with a long gun was attempting to enter the school.
The doors to the school were locked, hindering his access. Seven security guards were on duty at the time.
Police commissioner Michael Sack said the police arrived on the scene within two minutes, but by then, the gunman had made his way inside the building and had begun shooting victims.
At this time, it is unknown how the shooter was able to enter the building.
A woman and a teenage girl were shot and killed, one of whom died on the scene, and the other died at a local hospital.
The other six shooting victims were transported to the hospital, suffering from either gunshot or shrapnel wounds. The names of the victims have not been released.
When the police arrived, they began evacuating the building and moved toward the sound of the gunfire. Encountering the suspect, they engaged with the shooter, who was struck and injured.
The shooter, who has not yet been identified by police, was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was described as a young man who appeared to be about 20 years old.
No police officers were injured in the conflict. Several others at the school experienced close calls with the shooter.
A math teacher named David Williams said the principal came on the loudspeaker and said the code phrase that indicates a shooter is in the building.
Williams said he heard gunshots in the hallway, and one of the windows on his classroom door was shot out. Then he allegedly heard a man’s voice say, “You’re all going to (expletive) die.”
Raymond J. Parks, a dance teacher at the school, said he saw a man dressed in black and carrying a long gun out of the corner of his eye. The man pointed the gun at the teacher but did not shoot him.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch reported that a 16-year-old student, Taniya Gholston, said she came eye-to-eye with the shooter, but reportedly his gun jammed, and she was able to escape.
Students were transported by bus to Gateway STEM High School, where they were reunited with their parents amid hugs and tears.
The police spokesperson said the campus was secured and there was no further threat, but bomb-sniffing dogs were working the scene as a precaution.
The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are assisting with the ongoing investigation.
The mayor of St. Louis, Tishaura O. Jones, said the shooting was “a devastating and traumatic situation.” She expressed she was heartbroken for the families affected.
“Our children shouldn’t have to experience this; they shouldn’t have to go through active shooter drills in case something happens,” claimed Jones. “Unfortunately, that happened today.”