2 died, and 7 were injured in the shooting at St. Louis; the accused was killed by police, authorities say–2 people died and 7 others were injured after a former student opened fire Monday at a St. Louis just before he was shot dead by police, administrators said.
The gunman, identified as 19-year-old Orlando Harris, shot dead a 61-year-old woman and a 16-year-old woman at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, said St. Police Unit Commissioner. Louis, Mike Sack in information. advice.
The gunman escaped school years later and had no prior criminal origin, Sack said. It had nearly a dozen hot lead, large-capacity magazines, Sack said.
“It’s a heartbreaking day for all of us,” Sack said. “It’s going to be tough. Whereas on paper we could have had 9 victims… we have hundreds of others. Everyone safe will bring back the shock.”
Eight people, including the gunman, were taken to hospital, Sack said. The woman died in the hospital, and the woman died at school. The defendant also died in hospital, he added.
Authorities are in the process of notifying the families of the victims Monday evening, said Sack, who denies identifying the victims.
The seven injured were normal and included male and female students aged 15 and 16, Sack said. Injuries ranged from broken ankles to hot lead parts and gunshot wounds, he said. One student was shot in the leg, one in hand, and another had gunshot wounds to both hands and jaw.
Authorities are trying to determine the pattern, Sack said. “There is some concern that he may have had a psychological illness,” Sack said.
Sack described a lightning-fast legal-enforcement response to the incident Monday morning. Officials responded to the call for an active shooter at 09:11 local time, he said. The officers arrived 4 minutes later and “quickly” penetrated the school, where students informed the officers that there was a shooter “with a remote weapon,” Sack said.
Officers ran towards the sound of gunfire, then opened fire with the shooter and shot him on the 3rd floor, Sack said. According to the timeline provided by the police, the officers shot the gunman less than 15 minutes after the initial call came in.
“The officers carry out an extraordinary profession,” said Sack. No officers were injured, he said.
“Hundreds” of students fled the building, Sack said. FOX2’s live stream helicopter film from the scene proves dozens of students with backpacks running from campus. Others seem to be trying to climb over the fence.
