Authorities say a 19-year-old former student opened fire at a high school in St. Louis, Missouri, on Monday morning while carrying an AR-15-style weapon and more than 600 rounds of ammunition, killing two people and wounding a number of others.
Orlando Harris, who graduated from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School last year, was identified by authorities as the suspect who also lost his life following a shooting there.
St. Louis School Shooting Suspect's Letter Before Incident
According to St. Louis Police Commissioner Michael Sack, Harris, who had no criminal record, left a handwritten note in his car expressing his desire to "do this school shooting." Sack claimed Harris described himself as a "isolated loner," which was "the ideal storm for a mass shooter." Harris allegedly wrote: "I don't have any friends, I don't have any family, I've never had a girlfriend, and I've never had a social life."
Authorities stated on Monday that there are "suspicions that he may have been having some mental illness." The school district has named the two fatalities as Alexzandria Bell, 15, and Jean Kuczka, a 61-year-old physical education instructor, ABC News reported.
Seven further victims-all aged 15 or 16-were hurt and sent to the hospital. According to St. Louis police, everyone was described as being in stable condition. According to Sack, Harris carried eight magazines of ammunition in a backpack and seven magazines of ammunition on a chest rig.
More than 100 people attended a memorial on Monday night to commemorate the deaths and express a range of emotions including "frustration, rage, and loss," according to St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.
According to Andre Bell, his daughter was a member of the junior varsity dance team at her school and a student in the 10th grade when she was slain in the incident. According to Kuczka's daughter Abigail, the 14-year Central teacher was slain when the shooter stormed into her classroom.
Few specifics regarding how the shooter entered the school, which according to Sack had metal detectors and closed entrances, were revealed by law enforcement authorities. Sack claimed that the shooter entered the premises "aggressively, violently," brandishing a gun. Sack declined to offer any details Monday night, citing security concerns.
At 9:11 a.m., police were notified of an active shooter. Sack stated local time. Officers arrived four minutes later, he claimed, "immediately" entered the school, rushed to the sound of shooting, and engaged the gunman in gunfire combat. Per USA Today, law enforcement officials gave a chronology, and it shows that the shooter was shot by police less than 15 minutes after the original complaint. No policemen were hurt.
More About Suspect Orlando Harris
The neighborhood where the suspect allegedly resided is supposed to be in the city's south. The FBI could be seen taking evidence, including a computer, from a nearby residence.
According to a student who spoke to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the shooter claimed to be "weary of everyone" at CVPA. Sack informed the media that there were seven security guards present, the doors were shut, and the metal detectors were operational.
The suspect was shot and killed by police, according to the police chief, on the third floor of the structure. Taniya Gholston, 16, a different student, described the terrifying seconds she experienced when she made eye contact with the shooter.
According to the police, Harris had no prior criminal history. The gunman's automobile was located, and investigators looked for evidence there. The school administrator announced the code word for an active shooter inside the building over the loudspeaker at approximately 9 o'clock in the morning, according to math instructor David Williams.
Taniya Gholston, a 16-year-old CVPA student, said she did not recognize the shooter and managed to flee when his pistol jammed. She claimed to have overheard him say something about being "sick of this damn school" to the press. Raymond Parks, a dance instructor, claimed Harris was all-black clad and pointed a gun at him but didn't fire, as per The Independent.
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