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Three dead, including gunman, after shooting at St. Louis high school, officials say

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  perrie-halpern  •  2 years ago  •  60 comments

By:   Mirna Alsharif and Tim Stelloh

Three dead, including gunman, after shooting at St. Louis high school, officials say
Three people are dead, including the gunman, after a shooting at a St. Louis high school Monday morning, police said.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



Three people are dead, including a 19-year-old gunman, after a shooting at a St. Louis high school Monday morning that also sent multiple people to hospitals, police said.

Chaos unfolded shortly after 9 a.m. when authorities learned of a shooter with a long gun inside Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. The school and the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, which is in the same building, were locked down.

After a gunfight with authorities, the suspect was taken into custody and later pronounced dead, a St. Louis police official told reporters.

He was identified as a recent graduate of Central with no criminal history, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Interim Chief Mike Sack told reporters at an evening news conference.

Sack said the gunman entered the school with a rifle in an "aggressive, violent manner."

"There was no mystery about what was going to happen," he said. A motive remained unclear; Sack said the apparent gunman may have been experiencing a mental illness.

Sack declined to provide additional details, saying investigators were still gathering information.

221024-st-louis-school-shooting-mn-1235-929a21.jpg People gather outside after a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Monday. Jordan Opp / St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

"While on paper we might have nine victims, eight who were transported and one remained, we have hundreds of others," Sack said earlier. "Everyone who survived here is going to take home trauma."

Jean Kuczka, a health teacher at the high school, was killed, said Abbey Kuczka, her daughter.

"I found out just a few hours ago," she said Monday afternoon.

Jean Kuczka was a mother of five, a grandmother of seven and a bike rider who participated in an annual charity event to raise money for juvenile diabetes, which her son has, according to her profile on the high school's website.

Kuczka began working for St. Louis Public Schools in 2002 at Carr Lane Visual Performing Arts Middle School before she transferred to the high school in 2008 to teach health, personal finance and physical education.

Sack identified the other fatally wounded victim as a 16-year-old girl who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Four of the victims who were injured were 15, Sack said. Three others were 16. They sustained injuries from gunshot wounds to a fractured ankle and facial abrasions, Sack said.

'I need to stay alive'


Shortly after the shooting, harrowing stories of survival started to emerge, offering a glimpse of the frightening moments inside the school and the lengths some teachers and students went to to escape.

Adrienne Bolden, a freshman, said he and his classmates had to jump out a window to escape.

Asked what was going through his mind at that point, he said "that I need to stay alive."

nc_mo_ksdk_student_interview_221024-fmkokb.jpg

'I need to stay alive': Student describes fleeing St. Louis high school shooting


Bolden said he initially thought the shooting was an intruder drill, but that changed when he started hearing sirens outside.

"The teacher, she crawled over, and she was asking for help to move the lockers to the door so they can't get in," he said.

Bolden helped his teacher move the lockers before he tried to jump out a classroom window overlooking concrete.

"So we had to wait a little longer before the assistant principal came up to one of the windows that was locked, and when we opened it, the teacher said to come on, and we all had to jump out of the window."

Freshman Jawae Bronner said that after someone announced a code word indicating a threat inside the school, his visual arts teacher immediately locked the classroom door and ushered about 20 students into a closet.

At one point, during the roughly hour and a half they were inside the space, the teacher announced that he could hear gunfire, Bronner said. Bronner said he searched for exits — a window and a vent were inside the closet — but then reconsidered.

Bronner texted his mother where he was and what was happening and saying he was OK, and he read a Bible verse — John 3:16 — to his class.

"He knows to call on God when he's in trouble," said his mother, Jordette Barnes.

Doors were locked; unclear how gunman got in


Sack said the doors at the school were locked, which slowed the gunman. He did not clarify how the gunman was able to get into the school.

Seven security guards were in the school building, school officials said.

The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded. The FBI's St. Louis field office asks anyone with pictures or videos of the shooting to submit them to authorities.

221024-st-louis-school-shooting-kskd-mn-1205-f62703.jpg Emergency personnel at the scene of a school shooting in St. Louis.KSDK

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones called the shooting "a devastating and traumatic situation."

"I'm heartbroken for these families who send their children to our schools hoping that they will be safe," she said at the news conference. "Our children shouldn't have to experience this. They shouldn't have to go through active shooter drills in case something happens. And unfortunately, that happened today."

The school district said: "Counselors are on site and will continue to avail themselves to students, staff and families for as long as needed. Administrators and counselors are meeting with families."

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., was at the school talking to students and their families.

"We've been going from family to family talking with the students," Bush, whose district includes St. Louis, told NBC affiliate KSDK. "Some of the students are still here because they just they don't feel ready to leave yet."


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Revillug
Freshman Participates
1  Revillug    2 years ago

What is wrong with this country?

Why are we embarking on a journey of more gun deaths instead of fewer gun deaths?

[deleted]

 
 
 
shona1
PhD Quiet
2  shona1    2 years ago

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

 
 
 
Hal A. Lujah
Professor Guide
3  Hal A. Lujah    2 years ago

I’m a civil engineer and I spent the last two years working on a new high school just outside of DC, in a not so great area.  The site is being designed to be welcoming to the community to enter the grounds to walk around, exercise, etc..  The new building is going to be built while the old building is still in use.  The old building and site are a total train wreck.  The new building will have a ridiculous number of entry points, like sixty or so.  It’s currently a $330 million dollar project, and expected to go well over that.  On the first day of school this year, two kids were caught carrying guns and others were caught dealing drugs in the school.

Here’s the best part - the whole time I’d worked on the job I had not visited the site personally because I had not gone through the mandatory fingerprinting and background check to enter the property.  Lol, yes - I’m the threat.  Anyone living in this ghetto area is supposed to be welcome to use the new site as a public space, but if you’re a professional engineer trying to design it from an hour away you need to be considered a potential threat.  Considering the backwardness of the whole project, I predict the new school will have a good shot at being another future mass shooting site, and then they’ll decide to tear down the new bazillion dollar building.  I just quit that job a few days ago.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.1  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3    2 years ago

Prince George's County, MD?

 
 
 
Hal A. Lujah
Professor Guide
3.1.1  Hal A. Lujah  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @3.1    2 years ago

Yep

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
3.2  evilone  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3    2 years ago

I don't know the particulars, but it's been proven over and over again that community engagement reduces crime and increases health.

 
 
 
Hal A. Lujah
Professor Guide
3.2.1  Hal A. Lujah  replied to  evilone @3.2    2 years ago

I don’t necessarily doubt that, but how much sense does it make to require a professional engineer to undergo fingerprinting and background checks to enter the property that he was hired to help redesign?  As a civil engineer I wouldn’t even have any reason or desire to enter the building, but only to make observations and measurements on the property.  The environmental consultant for the project has been on the property several times, and said every time there were students hanging out in a wooded area of the site smoking pot.  Something tells me that their security protocol objectives are in disarray if students smoking pot on the premises is a daily reality.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.2.2  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3.2.1    2 years ago

This past Labor Day followed one of the worst months for homicides in county history (24 in Aug) and the county put a youth curfew in place.

The curfew for 17 year old and younger is between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11:59 p.m. and 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Since the curfew, overall crime decreased by 20% during the curfew hours in Sept.  Carjackings, contact shootings and violent crime in general also dropped.

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
3.2.3  evilone  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3.2.1    2 years ago
...how much sense does it make to require a professional engineer to undergo fingerprinting and background checks to enter the property that he was hired to help redesign?

I don't get it either, and not knowing anything about it... (shrug). If they are getting any federal funding it may be some crazy federal rule. I've seen it before.

The environmental consultant for the project has been on the property several times, and said every time there were students hanging out in a wooded area of the site smoking pot.

OMG!!! Reefer madness! That was called Shop Class when I was in high school.

 
 
 
Hal A. Lujah
Professor Guide
3.2.4  Hal A. Lujah  replied to  evilone @3.2.3    2 years ago

I went to a Jesuit high school.  Even a hint of being high in school would get you expelled, much less having weed on you.  I got high at least three times a week when I was in high school, but even I would disagree that school is a forgivable place to be getting high at.  There’s a time and place for everything.  Getting high at school is like eating Cheetos before sitting in the dentist chair.

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
3.2.5  evilone  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3.2.4    2 years ago

I'm not saying its a good thing. Only that it's pretty common. I wasn't that kid either. I had enough problems getting through HS, I didn't need to add to them on purpose.

 
 
 
goose is back
Sophomore Guide
3.2.6  goose is back  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3.2.1    2 years ago
Something tells me that their security protocol objectives are in disarray

You are just figuring that out in the Public School System!

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3  Ender  replied to  Hal A. Lujah @3    2 years ago

MD has always tried to be progressive with their schools.

When I went to primary, the school was called a school in the round. Each grade, through up to grade five, had four classrooms around a center gathering space, all open.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.1  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Ender @3.3    2 years ago
MD has always tried to be progressive with their schools.

It doesn't seemed to have worked well for Baltimore.  $21,606 per student in Baltimore City Schools:

  • 70% Grad rate 2019
  • Maryland IG for Education reveled that more than 12,000 failing grades in the Baltimore City Public Schools were changed to passing grades during 2016-20
  • Teachers were pressured to change grades by their assistant principals, principals, or both.
  • Assistant principals and principals received pressure Baltimore City Public Schools headquarters
  • In 2018 Baltimore City Public Schools issued a report detailing how former leaders at one school schemed to alter student attendance, grade average, and graduation rates
  • City School administrators announced they would no longer make failing students repeat their grade levels.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.2  Ender  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @3.3.1    2 years ago

I had a good school system. For the people that failed, there was vo-tec.

I also don't see where you got your stats.

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
3.3.3  Tessylo  replied to  Ender @3.3.2    2 years ago

Probably made them up.  He has a problem with blue cities

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.4  Ender  replied to  Tessylo @3.3.3    2 years ago

I just realized Baltimore is not part of a county. It is an independent city.

Anyway, Texas and California seem to have the worst graduation rates.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.6  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Tessylo @3.3.3    2 years ago
Probably made them up.

No need to make it up, the info is there at our fingertips.  You just have to quarry. You don't believe what is sent to you, maybe you would value the info more if  find it yourself. 

Isn't Baltimore City right next door to you, surprised thatr you don't already know this about this very blue city.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.7  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Ender @3.3.2    2 years ago
I had a good school system.

What city or county?

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.9  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.4    2 years ago
Anyway, Texas and California seem to have the worst graduation rates

Baltimore City graduation rates:

  • Baltimore City – 70.3%
  • Lowest in the state.

Graduation rates in California and Texas:

See High School Graduation Rates By State (usnews.com)

IowaKentucky and Texas boasted the highest graduation rates in the country, with each graduating an average of 94% of its students in 2020. ConnecticutMassachusettsNorth DakotaWest VirginiaWisconsin and Virginia followed closely behind, with average graduation rates of 93%.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.10  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Ender @3.3.4    2 years ago
Texas and California seem to have the worst graduation rates.

There are no statewide school districts, much more useful to drill down to the specific school district as there can be a wide disparity within a state.  An example is the difference between Montgomery County MD and Baltimore City MD.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.11  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.9    2 years ago

Here are the 10 states with the highest high school graduation rates:
  1. Montana   -   94.00%
  2. Wyoming   -   93.60%
  3. Vermont   -   93.50%
  4. Minnesota   -   93.40%
  5. New Hampshire   -   93.30%
  6. Maine   -   93.20%
  7. Alaska   -   93.10%
  8. North Dakota   -   93.10%
  9. Utah   -   93.00%
  10. Wisconsin   -   92.60%
 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.12  Ender  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @3.3.10    2 years ago

Which is why I guess the above link I gave divided it into counties.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.13  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Ender @3.3.12    2 years ago

Exactly, that's why I was surprised when you summarized into TX and CA and now again in 3.3.11.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.14  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.11    2 years ago

You may want to revisit your source.

There, I found this, and I quote:

When broken down by state,IowaandNew Jerseyhave the highest graduation rate in the country at 91% each.Alabama,Kentucky,Tennessee,Texas,West Virginia, andWisconsinall follow with 90%.

And the link you provided in 3.3.8 is showing the numbers of people with a high school diploma or equivalent, which is NOT the same thing as a graduation rate.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.15  Ender  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @3.3.13    2 years ago

Now again? No where in comment 11 did I say anything about CA or TX.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.16  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.14    2 years ago

No where on the article does it say anything about GEDs.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.17  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.16    2 years ago
No where on the article does it say anything about GEDs.

You might want to pay just a bit more attention to what your links actually say because I found this (and this is pasted directly from the source you say doesn't mention it)

Now, before you claim I stated GEDs, I stated the equivalent of a high school diploma, so parsing words won't fly here. high-school-graduation-rates-us.webp
 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.18  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.17    2 years ago

I thought you were talking about the link I gave you....

Funny though, with all these stats, the government doesn't have any info on Texas or Illinois. 

Wonder why that is...

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.19  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.18    2 years ago
I thought you were talking about the link I gave you..

I am talking about the link you have provided in post 3.3.8, it is quite clear. 

What say you about that link?

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.20  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.19    2 years ago

I say if it adds people that get a GED so what. Technically they got a diploma.

The other links I gave do not do that and you seem to ignore them.

Funny thing though, every site has different stats, which is why I went to the government site, which Texas has not reported....

 
 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.22  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.20    2 years ago
I say if it adds people that get a GED so what. Technically they got a diploma.

You REALLY need to look at your source.

It clearly states:

Based on the percentage of adults 25+ with a high school diploma or equivalent.

That isn't the same thing as a graduation rate.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.23  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.21    2 years ago

Some projections. Graduation rates for several years in the future....

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.24  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.23    2 years ago
Some projections.

Yes, it is commonly known that graduation rates in the future are unknown, and can only be projected.

So what? The same link ALSO gives graduation rates for PAST years.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.25  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.22    2 years ago

It is stats. Whether or not one likes them.

It seems no stats on this match up.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.26  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.25    2 years ago
It is stats.

Yes,

And some stats say that the rates are for age 25+ with a high school diploma or the equivalent.

Some are rates for high school graduations, which are different.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.27  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.26    2 years ago

Not by much. If anything it inflates the numbers, so they would be worse than shown.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.28  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.27    2 years ago

I can tell you don't understand what your links say.

I have had enough attempts at explaining it to you.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.29  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Ender @3.3.15    2 years ago
 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.3.30  Ender  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.28    2 years ago

You haven't explained shit, just complained.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.31  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.3.30    2 years ago

Posts 3.3.9, 3.3.14, 3.3.17, 3.3.19, 3.3.21, 3.3.24. and 3.3.26 all say different.

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
3.3.32  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to  Texan1211 @3.3.17    2 years ago

I just went to countyhealthrankings.org and plugged in my county, which is Nassau, and low and behold, 92% graduate high school, yet my county, which is one of the biggest in NY (1.4 million), is not on that list. Maybe it's an issue with how and who the US Career Institute lists. 

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
3.3.33  Tessylo  replied to  Ender @3.3.4    2 years ago

Again, he has a problem with blue cities, especially BALTIMORE.  

Gee, I wonder why?

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
3.3.34  Tessylo  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @3.3.6    2 years ago
"Probably made them up."
No need to make it up, the info is there at our fingertips.  You just have to quarry. You don't believe what is sent to you, maybe you would value the info more if  find it yourself.  Isn't Baltimore City right next door to you, surprised thatr you don't already know this about this very blue city."

Why would I look it up?  I work in Baltimore City and I hear your dog whistles loud and clear.  

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.3.35  Texan1211  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @3.3.32    2 years ago
countyhealthrankings.org

I checked it out. That isn't the graduation rate, that is the number of people 25+ with at least a high school diploma.

Which was exactly what I was pointing out in his links.

Graduation rates are different.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
3.3.36  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Tessylo @3.3.34    2 years ago
Why would I look it up?  I work in Baltimore City

If you're familiar with the info, why did you accuse me of making it up?

3.3.3

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
4  Drinker of the Wry    2 years ago

Amazingly, that is the largest and wealthiest Black-majority county in the US.

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
4.2  Tessylo  replied to  Drinker of the Wry @4    2 years ago

I found some stats for you - TOP FIVE STATES WITH HIGHEST HOMICIDE MORTALITY RATES

313001389_10228816708824576_490918376001342706_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg_s960x960&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=MaGIAeMsQXUAX8cqLIX&tn=ddyv9WRSVi2y4Anp&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AT8SmWmuxXsrboPUePiaQX7Mi7mAj7bAdk41JgJ9GE8cig&oe=635EB18D

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
4.2.1  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  Tessylo @4.2    2 years ago

Those are indeed some stats, why did you look up some on a different topic?

 
 
 
goose is back
Sophomore Guide
5  goose is back    2 years ago

The St Louis City Police need to be COMMENDED for their fast response, decisive action, putting their lives on the line and dispatching the shooter in ten minutes time. The loss of life is tragic, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the families.   Even in the face of a "defund the police" Mayor and Congressperson (Cori Bush) they still performed as true and brave professionals.

Imagine if every school shooter was handled in this manner!!!

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
5.1  Ender  replied to  goose is back @5    2 years ago

Reading this it sounds like the teachers took most action.

 
 
 
goose is back
Sophomore Guide
5.1.1  goose is back  replied to  Ender @5.1    2 years ago
teachers took most action.

Which teacher?

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
5.1.2  Ender  replied to  goose is back @5.1.1    2 years ago

Read the article. Several teachers did things to help the students.

 
 
 
goose is back
Sophomore Guide
5.1.3  goose is back  replied to  Ender @5.1.2    2 years ago
Read the article.

I did, why do you think I asked "which teacher", no teacher did anything to stop the shooter! Had the police not responded in time and taken the action that they did, there would have been more loss of life. 

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
5.1.4  Ender  replied to  goose is back @5.1.3    2 years ago

That is their job. At least they didn't sit around for an hour.

Meanwhile teachers were hiding and helping students escape.

 
 
 
goose is back
Sophomore Guide
5.1.5  goose is back  replied to  Ender @5.1.4    2 years ago
Meanwhile teachers were hiding and helping students escape.

That's their job!

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
6  Buzz of the Orient    2 years ago

OIP-C.itEQNwuss02jkYAMBFTjYAHaFq?pid=ImgDet&rs=1

 
 

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