The household of the shooter who killed a trainer and a scholar in a St. Louis highschool eliminated a gun he acquired from their house earlier than the Monday assault and did “all the things they may” to assist him get psychological well being help, police revealed Wednesday.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Interim Chief Michael Sack shared new particulars within the case in a press convention however a number of questions stay: how the shooter acquired a gun and the way he entered the varsity regardless of locked doorways, safety guards and metallic detectors on the faculty.
Sack mentioned taking pictures suspect Orlando Harris, 19, made a “pressured entry” into Central Visible and Performing Arts Excessive College, with out offering additional particulars.
Household labored with police to take away suspect’s gun from house
Sack mentioned the suspect’s household was “conscious” that he had obtained the gun, although it is not clear precisely when he did. An investigation by the ATF is underway to trace the supply of that gun sale.
“[The family] labored with our division to switch that to an grownup who may legally possess one,” Sack mentioned.
He mentioned he believes the firearm the household contacted police about might have been the identical AR-15-style rifle he used within the faculty taking pictures.
“[The family] contacted us and mentioned he had a firearm, I consider it may have probably been this gun. The officer and their response handed it over to any individual else, an grownup who was lawfully capable of possess it,” Sack mentioned.
“The mom wished it out of the home, so that they facilitated it, the social gathering had it. How he acquired it after that, we don’t know. We’re wanting into it,” Sack mentioned.
It isn’t clear who the gun was transferred to. Sack mentioned the interplay with the suspect’s household and police probably passed off throughout the previous few months, although he did not know the particular date.
Suspect’s household did ‘all the things they may’ to assist his psychological well being
Sack mentioned that the suspect’s household has been very cooperative with police.
The household was conscious of the suspect’s psychological well being points and did “all the things that they probably may have finished” to assist him —together with getting him remedy, treatment, committing him on a number of events — however “generally that is not sufficient.”
“The mom, the grownup daughter, they labored with him. They type of had a system the place they might observe what would possibly come within the mail, his interplay with others and attempt to be sure that he’s partaking individuals, that he feels liked,” Sack mentioned.
The taking pictures suspect, who left behind a word describing himself as a loner and referred to mass shootings, died after a gunfire change with legislation enforcement.
Jean Kuczka, 61, a well being trainer, and Alexzandria Bell, 15, a scholar, had been killed within the taking pictures, officers mentioned.
