The student gunman in a small-town Iowa school shooting in January in which two people were killed and several others injured was known to have a fascination with school shooters and exhibited a number of unreported “warning signs,” the Iowa Public Safety Department said Friday.
“There is significant evidence of this shooter’s fascination with prior school shootings” and there was also evidence of “copycat behavior” in his actions, Stephan Bayens, commissioner of the Iowa Public Safety Department, said in a news conference.
The evidence bears that out.”“Those concerns, along with a number of other warning signs, were unreported or were otherwise unrecognized,” Bayens said.
He said the shooter exhibited “broad behavioral issues” and mental health concerns that were present years before the shooting.
The shooter was “suicidal coupled with a homicidal intention to take others with him in an effort to gain notoriety,” Bayens said.
Persons:
Dylan Butler, Ahmir, Dan Marburger, Stephan Bayens, Bayens, ”, ” Bayens, “, Marburger
Organizations:
Iowa, Iowa Public Safety Department, Perry High School, Meta
Locations:
Iowa, “