ABC 6 News – On Thursday, January 4, local authorities were called to Perry Middle School and High School in Perry, Iowa for reports of a school shooting.

At approximately 7:30 a.m., a student at the high school reportedly entered the school with a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun and opened fire. The student would end up injuring five people, and killing one student before taking his own life.

In the hours that followed the shooting, members of the Perry community, along with students and alumni of the high school, gathered at a candlelight prayer vigil to mourn the loss of life, as well as show one another support in the face of the tragedy.

“Know that even though we are tiny town, the whole world is wrapping its arms around us tonight. I personally have gotten messages from as far as Spokane, Washington, making sure that we are okay. And I know that the alumni are thinking of all of us tonight, praying for all of us, because we are Perry strong, Blue Jays strong, Iowa strong,” Andrea Niemeyer, a 2004 alumnus of Perry High School, said. “We’re going to rally around our survivors, our community, our teachers, our first responders. And we’re going to show them what we’ve shown them every day for as long as I’ve known that we appreciate them, enjoy them, respect them, and dare I say, love them.”

In response to the shooting, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered all public flags be flown at half staff until sunset on Sunday.

In a statement the governor said, “our hearts are heavy and our prayers are with the Perry community. This strikes at the heart of everything that we hold dear. This senseless tragedy has shaken our entire state to the core. I want this community to know that every Iowan stands with you.”

In response to the shooting, many Northern Iowa schools sent messages to students and families outlining their safety procedures and ensuring them that students are safe when they are at school.