Iowa School Safety News

1/28/24 - Vast majority of $75M for Iowa school safety unspent - The June 2022 announcement was addressed to Iowa parents horrified by the massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas: Iowa would spend $75 million in federal pandemic relief funds to improve school building security.

1/17/24 - Multiple Iowa schools placed on lockdown following ‘SWAT’ calls - WEST BRANCH, Iowa (KCRG) - On Wednesday, multiple school districts went into lockdown across the state after receiving a call that referred to a possible active shooter being on the premises.

1/15/24 - Perry school officials postpone plan for students to return to class - PERRY, Iowa —Officials from the Perry Community School District announced Monday that they're postponing the plan to reopen schools after this month's deadly school shooting.

1/14/24 - Dan Marburger, principal injured in Perry, Iowa school shooting, dies - Dan Marburger, the heroic Perry, Iowa high school principal who was shot while trying to protect students from a mass shooter, has died from his injuries, his family confirmed.

1/14/24 - 'Hero' Principal In Iowa School Shooting Has Died: Family - The principal of an Iowa high school who was critically wounded in a school shooting on January 4 while trying to stop the assault has died, his family said Sunday.

1/12/24 - Perry community gathers at funeral for 11-year-old killed in school shooting - PERRY, Iowa (KCCI) - Family and friends have said their final goodbyes to the sixth grade student killed in last week’s school shooting in Perry.

1/9/24 - Iowa school shooter’s parents had ‘no inkling’ of ‘horrible violence’ ahead of attack - The parents of Iowa school shooter Dylan Butler — who killed a sixth-grader and wounded several others before turning the gun on himself — said they had “no inkling he intended the horrible violence” when they dropped him off at school last Thursday.

1/8/24 - 2 students threatened WC schools on Jan. 4 - WEBSTER CITY ­– On the same day that Iowans’ attention was fixed on the school shooting in Perry, the Webster City school system was dealing with its own threat of violence.

1/7/24 - Iowa school shooter appeared to be active on Discord and discussed ‘gearing up’ in moments before attack - The Iowa gunman who opened fire on Perry High School last week appeared to have an active account on the internet chat platform Discord where he previously discussed school shootings and described “gearing up” moments before Thursday’s attack, NBC News has learned. 

1/6/24 - Sixth-grade student killed in Iowa school shooting ID’d as ‘Smiley’ Ahmir Jolliff, 11: ‘He loved everyone’ - A sixth-grade student slain during a mass shooting at a rural Iowa high school has been identified as 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff, officials said Friday.

1/4/24 - 1 killed, 5 injured by Iowa school shooter on the first day after winter break - A 17-year-old student at Perry High School in Iowa fatally shot a sixth grader and wounded four other students and a school administrator Thursday before apparently killing himself, officials said.

11/10/23 - Hoover student shot in the leg Friday afternoon expected to survive - According to a letter to Hoover families obtained by Local 5, the injured minor was a bystander to a shooting near campus.

11/4/23 - Teen faces felony charge over threat to Cedar Rapids school - Arrests marks second time in a month a teen was accused of threatening local schools online

10/1/23 - All Cedar Rapids Community Schools closed Monday due to threat, FBI joins investigation - CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — An apparent threat has forced Cedar Rapids Community Schools to close all locations on Monday. The district made the announcement on social media just before 9:00 p.m. Sunday Night.

7/6/23 - Gun violence prevention is top priority for local organization, school officials - WATERLOO — A group of mothers are voicing their concerns regarding gun safety in the area and have gone to school boards to speak on the topic.

5/23/23 - Dad wants safe recalled after 6-year-old son unlocks it, takes gun to school - SHENANDOAH, Iowa -- An Iowa family wants a safe taken off the market after their 6-year-old opened it and took a gun to school, KETV reported.

4/18/23 - Ames student who brought a gun to school was back in a district building 1 day later - AMES, Iowa —A Central Iowa teenager who was arrested for bringing a gun to school was seen at another school the very next day.

4/15/23 - Ames High School student arrested for bringing loaded, stolen gun to school - Police arrested an 18-year-old student at Ames High School Friday after he allegedly brought a loaded gun to school.

3/7/23 - Student brings gun to an Iowa elementary school Monday - SHENANDOAH, Iowa —An Iowa elementary school student brought a gun to school on Monday.

3/5/23 - Reported stabbing at middle school dance a false alarm - Newton police found no weapon and no evidence of injuries

1/27/23 - Police Charge 2nd Teen in Iowa School Shooting That Killed 2 - Authorities in Iowa have charged a second teenager with murder in the shooting deaths of two students at a Des Moines educational program

1/26/23 - Iowa police chief calls school shooting 'tragic, sad and pointless' - DES MOINES, Iowa — A shooting at a Des Moines educational program that left two students dead and the organization's founder injured should be understood as “tragic, sad and pointless," the city's police chief said Wednesday.

1/24/23 - Police say 2 students were killed and 1 man hurt in a Des Moines shooting - DES MOINES, Iowa — Two teenage students were killed Monday and a man was seriously injured in what police said was a targeted shooting at an alternative educational program designed to keep at-risk youth away from trouble. The injured man was identified as the program's founder — a rapper who left a life of gangs and violence and has been dedicated to helping youth in Des Moines.

1//23/23 - Student found with a gun at Des Moines school arrested - DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines police have arrested a student at East High School.

1/23/23 - 2 students killed in school shooting - Two students have died after a shooting at their Des Moines, Iowa, school on Monday, according to police.

1/21/23 - 5 arrested, 3 in connection to Kewanee shooting - DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Kewanee Police announced Saturday the arrest of 5 people, 3 in connection to a Thursday shooting, as well as seizing several guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, various drugs, and packaging materials, over $2,000 in cash, and a vehicle.

12/6/22 - Suspended Des Moines middle school student arrested with loaded gun at school - A suspended Des Moines Public Schools student was arrested with a loaded gun at Brody Middle School Tuesday.

11/28/22 - Student brought unloaded handgun to Ankeny school - ANKENY, Iowa —Ankeny police have launched an investigation after a student brought an unloaded handgun to school Monday.

11/6/22 - Arrest made in email threats of violence to MC Community School District - MASON CITY, IA - An arrest has been made by the Mason City Police Department in reports of threats of violence emailed to the Mason City Community School District Saturday.

/10/28/22 - Threat made against Newton middle school results in extra security - In a letter to families, the superintendent said, "all of the district's buildings had a larger police presence for safety."

10/19/22 - Police find teens with a gun outside Urbandale High School - URBANDALE, Iowa — Two teens are charged after police say they were found with a gun outside Urbandale High School Tuesday.

10/19/22 - Second school district in Iowa allows staff to carry guns at school - CHEROKEE, Iowa (KCRG) - A school district in Northwest Iowa is allowing some staff members to carry guns on school grounds.

10/18/22 - Two teenagers charged after handgun confiscated outside of Urbandale High School - URBANDALE, Iowa —Police confiscated a gun from an Urbandale High School student who was running toward the school Tuesday afternoon.

9/23/22 - Des Moines Public Schools explains response to weapon pulled during fight - DES MOINES, Iowa — Parents of Lincoln High School students told KCCI they were upset they heard of a dangerous situation from their kids before they heard from school officials.

9/20/22 - Urbandale student apprehended after bringing weapon on school grounds - URBANDALE, Iowa — A student at Urbandale High School brought an unloaded gun on school grounds on Tuesday.

11/8/21 - 2 Fairfield High School Students Accused of Killing Spanish Teacher - FAIRFIELD, Iowa — Two high school students are facing charges in connection with the death of a Spanish teacher.  Nohema Graber, 66, was reported missing Wednesday. Authorities discovered her remains later that day in Chautauqua Park, where she was known to have walked, reports NBC News. Her body was found “concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow, and railroad ties,” according to criminal complaints. She appeared to have suffered “inflicted trauma to the head.”