Perry, Iowa – The tragic shooting at Perry High School has left one sixth grader dead and five others injured. The 17-year-old shooter, Dylan Butler, was reportedly a victim of relentless bullying since elementary school, according to his former classmates. The bullying intensified when his younger sister became a target as well, with no intervention from school officials. This led to what they described as the “last straw” for the shooter.
Officials are investigating the motive behind the shooting and are examining several social media posts made by the suspect around the time of the incident. His classmates revealed that Butler was hurting and had grown tired of the constant bullying and harassment.
Moments before the shooting, the gunman posted a video on TikTok with the caption “now we wait,” accompanied by a song that added to the chilling atmosphere.
One of the victims, 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff, was remembered as a joyful boy known as “Smiley” by family and friends.
In the wake of this tragedy, Perry, Iowa mourns the loss of a young life and grapples with the impact of a devastating act of violence within their community.