On the first day back, six individuals were shot at an Iowa school, one of them fatally.

A tragic incident unfolded on the first day back from holiday break at Perry High School in the US state of Iowa, where a student shot six people, resulting in one fatality, before taking his own life, according to authorities.

Police discovered a "pretty rudimentary" improvised explosive device at the school, which was safely rendered inert. Of the six victims, five were students, and one was a school administrator. The deceased student was in the sixth grade, typically aged 11 or 12.

The shooting occurred at 07:37 local time (13:37 GMT), prompting a rapid response from law enforcement. The suspect, identified as 17-year-old Dylan Butler, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was armed with a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Investigators noted that the suspect had made several social media posts in the vicinity of the shooting.

Mitch Mortvedt, Assistant Director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, provided details on the victims' conditions, stating that one was in critical condition while four were stable.

Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante credited the early hour for the relatively low number of students and faculty in the building, potentially minimizing the impact of the incident.

Perry High School teacher Lori Meinecke reported hearing six to seven gunshots during the incident. The middle and high schools were subsequently cleared at 08:25 and 08:27 local time, respectively.

A parent, Kevin Shelley, shared that his 15-year-old son was shot in the hallway but would survive. The FBI, ATF, and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation were involved in the response and investigation.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds expressed condolences, describing the incident as "horrendously awful." US President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting, and the White House confirmed he was in contact with Governor Reynolds.

The town of Perry, with fewer than 10,000 residents, is approximately 40 miles northwest of Iowa's capital, Des Moines. The shooting occurred days before the Iowa caucuses, as Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was scheduled to campaign in Perry. The campaign event was canceled, and replaced by a prayer and discussion between Ramaswamy and residents.