Three people have been killed by a shooter at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis, Missouri and several more have been taken to the hospital.
Our department responded to an active shooting incident this morning at Central VP School. A suspect was taken into custody.
WE ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE AVOID THE AREA OF S. KINGSHIGHWAY FROM SOUTHWEST TO ARSENAL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THIS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
— St. Louis, MO Police (@SLMPD) October 24, 2022
According to updated reports from police, the suspected 20-yr-old shooter has been killed.
#BREAKING: St. Louis Metro Police tell @KMOV three victims were shot inside a high school in South St. Louis.
Suspect IN CUSTODY. Police searching the school.
Video sent to me from a viewer.
This is Central VPA High School at Kingshighway and Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/xe4LUZUQfM
— Alexis Zotos (@alexiszotos) October 24, 2022
A video shows kids running through the woods and to safety, where a police vehicle is parked outside of the school.
In yet another stunning video kids are seen scaling a large fence around the perimeter of the school and jumping from the rooftop to escape to safety.
#StLouis
Video of police helping students evacuate by hopping fences and jumping from roofs. https://t.co/5h0huehkLC pic.twitter.com/deirai2Xgl— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) October 24, 2022
Fox News reports St. Louis Public Schools announced earlier Monday that eight people, including at least two students, had been transported to a local hospital, and police are on the scene. The St. Louis Police Department also confirmed that its officers had responded to an “active shooting incident” and said a suspect was in custody.
Police did not clarify the age of the third victim, a female, nor did they clarify her relationship with the school.
St. Louis Police Chief Michael Slack said the doors to the school were locked, something that “bought time” for school security officers to react.