Suspect killed, 2 others dead after south St. Louis high school shooting
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, a shooter at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in the south city shot and killed two persons early on Monday. When the police came, they shot the shooter to death.
The incident took place around 9:10 a.m., according to Lieutenant Colonel Michael Sack, interim chief of the St. Louis Police Department. A few minutes after they arrived, the officers entered the school, which is situated at the intersection of Kingshighway and Arsenal.
As kids were filing out of the school, students told officers the suspect was armed with a long gun. Sack said officers heard the gunfire and ran toward it. The officers found the shooter, and both sides exchanged gunfire.
After being hit, the shooter was brought to the hospital, where he eventually passed away. Orlando Harris, who is 19 years old, was eventually revealed to be the gunman. According to Sack, no policemen were hurt during the altercation.
The motive for the shooting is unclear at this time, Sack said.
Formerly known as Southwest High School, CVPA. With about 400 students enrolled, it is a magnet school with a focus on the visual, performing, and musical arts.
This incident resulted in seven injuries. A teen girl was also shot and murdered, along with one adult woman who was later declared dead at a hospital. The other victims sustained a range of gunshot and shrapnel wounds. Hospitals in the area are caring for them.
One of the victims was identified as Jean Kuczka, a physical education teacher. The other victim’s name has not been released.
Officials did not detail how the shooter gained entry into the building.
“The school was closed and the doors were locked,” Sack said. “The security staff did an outstanding job identifying the suspect’s efforts to enter and immediately notified other staff and ensured that we were contacted. It was that timely response by that security officer, the fact that the door did cause pause for the suspect, that bought us some time.”
The intersection of Kingshighway and Arsenal was temporarily shut down as a result. Crime tape has been put up in the area to block off the police investigation.
We shall continue to update this story with more information as it becomes available.
