Perry, Iowa – A horrific incident unfolded at Perry High School on January 4, 2024, when 17-year-old Dylan Butler opened fire, fatally shooting a sixth-grader and injuring five others, including Principal Dan Marburger. The tragedy occurred just twenty minutes before classes were scheduled to resume, during a breakfast program for students from a nearby middle school. Regrettably, Butler succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound before first responders were able to reach the school.
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt revealed during a press conference that authorities discovered a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device, which was promptly disarmed. While Mortvedt did not share further details about the victims, he did confirm that one individual was in critical but stable condition, with the other four reported to be in stable condition.
In the wake of the shooting, a closer look at Butler’s social media activity shed light on concerning behaviors. Reports indicated that Butler was active on social media just moments before carrying out the violent attack. Furthermore, he had posted photos posing with firearms on his account.
Additionally, accounts surfaced featuring videos from the suspect’s TikTok account under the username ‘took too much,’ which included references to a pride flag and the hashtag #genderfluid, as well as indications of struggles with gender identity on other platforms.
In another disheartening development, it was revealed that Butler had been a victim of relentless bullying throughout his time at Perry High School. Family members of fellow students recounted the suspect’s years of torment at the hands of his peers.
This occurrence marked the second school shooting of 2024, following a shooting that injured one person at a school in Midlothian, Virginia on January 3. The devastating impact of such tragic events reverberates through the affected communities and beyond, serving as a grim reminder of the urgent need for continued efforts to address the complex factors contributing to these incidents.