St. Louis school shooting leaves 3 dead and 6 injured 

Three people died and six others were injured after a gunman broke into a St. Louis high school on Monday morning and opened fire, police said. 

The shooting happened at around 9 a.m. at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, causing students to barricade doors, hide in corners, and jump out of windows. 

The gunman attempted to gain access to the school by trying to get through a locked door, but was unable to. One of the seven security guards at the school noticed and notified school officials and the police. 

"It was that timely response by that security officer, the fact that the door did cause pause for the suspect, that bought us some time," Police Commissioner Michael Sack said at a news conference.

Eventually, however, the suspect was able to enter the building and started shooting. Officers evacuated as many students as they could before they “located that shooter and engaged that shooter in an exchange of gunfire," killing him, Sack said. 

The suspect was shot and killed by the officers. 

At least six people were hospitalized from gunshot wounds, while several others were struck by shrapnel. The two casualties were identified as a 16-year-old girl and a 61-year-old female teacher. 

Student Keyshawn Brooks said the suspect forced his way into his classroom and opened fire, shooting his teacher and three classmates before leaving. 

“They had shot our classroom door down and a man opened the door and he was like, ‘Y’all are going to die today,’” Brooks said.

"All I heard was two shots and he came in there with a gun," Gholston said. "And I was trying to run and I couldn't run. Me and him made eye contact but I made it out because his gun got jammed. But we saw blood on the floor," said a 16-year-old student that came face to face with the suspect. 

Police identified the shooter as 19-year-old Orlando Harris, who graduated from the school last year. The motive for the shooting remains unknown. 

"Our children shouldn't have to experience this," St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said at a news conference. "They shouldn't have to go through active shooter drills in case something happens. And unfortunately, that happened today."