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St. Louis police have named the gunman who opened fire at his former school killing two and injuring seven as 19-year-old Orlando Harris.
Harris was dressed entirely in black when he opened fire at the performing arts school on Monday morning, shooting dead a female teacher and a teenage girl before being killed by police.
He burst into the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School shortly after 9am on Monday and reportedly screamed: ‘You’re all going to die’.
He was shot dead by police inside the school.
Seven guards were inside the building at the time, but Michael Sack, commissioner of St. Louis police, refused to say at a Monday night press conference how he got inside.
Sack said he did not want ‘to give a blueprint’ to other would-be gunmen.
The FBI appealed for anyone with photos or video to hand them over to police, to assist their investigation.
‘The gun laws in St. Louis are very broad,’ said Sack. ‘If someone walks down the street with a rifle, if we have no cause we can’t go and talk to them. And that’s one of the greatest challenges we face.’
A mother of a student at the school told DailyMail.com her daughter was in the school band with Harris.
‘She said he was quiet,’ the mother said.
‘He used to sit in the corner by himself. Very anti social.’
On Monday night Harris’s home in the Carondelet district of south St. Louis was being searched by the authorities.
Health teacher Jean Kirk Kuczka, 61, and a 16-year-old student Alexandria Bell (right) were killed in the shooting in Missouri
Michael Sack, the police chief, is seen on Monday briefing reporters after the shooting
One of the victims of the shooting is seen being wheeled out of the school en route to the hospital
One student, Jerya Luster, said: ‘They were banging on Mr Williams’ room door. They shot like four times.
‘It was a white man. He said: ‘All of y’all are going to die.”
Others said the gunman said he was ‘tired of everybody’.
His victims have been named as Jean Kirk Kuczka, a teacher, and Alexandria Bell, a 16-year-old student.
Alexandria’s family confirmed her death on social media, hours after her mother posted in a panic that she couldn’t find her.
It remains unclear how gained access to the building; police insist the doors were locked this morning, and there were seven armed guards stationed at the building – but won’t say how he was able to get inside.
Terrified students hug outside the Central Visual School in St. Louis, Missouri, on Monday
People embrace in the Schnucks Arsenal parking lot following a shooting at Central Visual Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Monday
Terrified students escaped the school by climbing through windows and onto roofs. The gunman was killed by police after shooting two people dead
Students stand in a parking lot near the Central Visual & Performing Arts High School after a shooting at the school
Kuczka was a mother-of-five and grandmother-of-seven. She had been teaching at the school for 14 years.
Police have not been able to explain how the gunman managed to get inside.
They told reporters that there were seven armed guards at the scene.
They then admitted that the guards saw the gunman trying to enter through a locked door.
Instead of shooting him, the guard told school officials that he was trying to get into the building, and police were called.
Police said the sighting of the gunman ‘bought them time’.
The call to police came in at 9:11am, and officers were on the scene at 9:15am.
The gunman was engaged at 9:23am, and declared ‘down’ at 9:25am.
By 9:32am, the gunman was ‘secured, and the building cleared by 9:52am.
In the 14 minutes that elapsed between the first call and the gunman being shot dead, he had killed Kuczka and Bell.
People gather outside after a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts high school in St. Louis, on Monday
Messiah Miller, 16, center, a junior at Central Visual & Performing Arts High School, prays with his teacher Ray Parks, second from right, following a shooting at the school on Monday, in the Southwest Garden neighborhood. ‘He looked at me, he pointed the gun at me,’ Miller said
People embrace in the Schnucks Arsenal parking lot following the shooting at Central Visual Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Monday
This was the scene outside of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Monday morning after a gunman opened fire and killed two people
Students were less than four hours into the school day when they were evacuated due to an active shooter in the building
The other seven who were injured were taken to the hospital and it remains unclear how seriously they are hurt.
Their injuries range from gunshot wounds to shrapnel injuries and cardiac arrest.
Survivors said they at first thought they were participating in an active shooter drill.
Taniya Gholston, 16, recalled being in the dance room when the attacker burst in.
She said she only survived because his gun jammed.
‘I was in the dance room. All I heard was two shots, I was trying to run and I couldn’t run. And me and him…
‘I’m glad I made it out because his gun got jammed,’ she said.
‘I think somebody got shot. We saw blood on the floor.’
A flurry of police cars were spotted Monday morning outside of the Missouri school
Armed officers approached the scene with caution after an unidentified suspect shot and killed two people. District officials said that officers were able to quickly stop the shooter by fatally shooting him
Sack, the police chief, said that as students were running out of the building, several told police officers that the suspect was inside and had a ‘long gun.’
‘As kids were fleeing out of the building, they talked to some of the kids who told them that there was a shooter armed with a long gun,’ Sack said during a press conference.
‘I was in the dance room. All I heard was two shots, I was trying to run and I couldn’t run. And me and him… I’m glad I made it out because his gun got jammed. I think somebody got shot. We saw blood on the floor,’
The officers then entered the school, located the shooter, and fatally shot the suspect, he continued.
‘There was an exchange of gunfire’ after the officers had located the suspect,’ he said.
He said he did not know how the suspect got in.
‘The doors were locked’ said Sack.
Additionally, one district officials said that there were seven security officers inside the building before police arrived at the scene.
After a reporter pressed the police commissioner on how the gunman entered, Sack responded: ‘We’re not going to talk about how the suspect gained entry.’
Mayor Tishuara Jones said: ‘This is a day of tragedy.
‘I’m stressed and I’m heartbroken, I’m heartbroken for these families.
‘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.’
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School Monday
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Monday
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Monday
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Monday
Congresswoman Cori Bush was also present at the press conference. The Democrat represents the district where St. Louis is located.
‘Today is one of those days, those days that we pray, we pray never happens across this country,’ Rep. Bush said.
‘We want to thank again our first responders, but we also want to thank those teachers and school staff and administrators that were in place and moving and ready,’ the congresswoman said.
‘Those that were there to support the students and those that are there right now.’
Bush said that any families or victims ‘who don’t know who to talk to,’ can call her office, stating that the phone lines will be open for those who need help.
The shooting was initially confirmed by the Twitter account of St. Louis Public Schools.
‘Police are on site at Central Visual and Performing Arts this morning following reports of an active shooter and both CVPA and Collegiate are on lockdown,’ they said on Monday morning.
The post from the district says that the ‘shooter was quickly stopped by police inside CVPA.’
‘We will send information on where parents can reunite with students,’ the district said.
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Monday
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School on Monday
They later said that parents and students could reunite at the Gateway STEM School, located two miles from CVAP.
The school district asked officials on Monday to avoid the area of S. King’s Highway to Arsenal Street ‘until further notice. This investigation is ongoing.’
Mike Parson, the governor of Missouri, responded to the shooting in a social media post, thanking the police who arrived at the scene and saying that he is ‘praying’ for the victims.
‘Our hearts go out to the victims and their families of this morning’s shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis. Our office has been briefed on this tragedy,’ he said.
‘State Public Safety officials are coordinating with local law enforcement and have offered any state resources necessary to assist with the investigation.
‘St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department quickly arrived on scene and immediately went to the sound of gunfire to protect lives, secure the area, and eliminate the threat. Teresa and I are praying for the victims, their families, and the entire community.’
U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, a Democrat running for an open seat in Missouri, also reacted to the news in a tweet, sharing her own feelings of heartbreak as a ‘mother and grandmother.’
‘As mother and grandmother myself, I’m shocked and praying for all those affected – students, parents, faculty, and in the community,’ she said.
‘I’m grateful to brave law enforcement for their quick response.’
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