ST. LOUIS 鈥 Police on Friday announced they have closed the investigation into the 2022 shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School and the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience and plan to release two records next week.
It鈥檚 been almost two years since a 19-year-old gunman burst into the schools鈥 campus on Oct. 24, 2022, and fatally shot a CVPA student and teacher before police killed him.
Requests for records about the shooting 鈥 including body camera footage, investigative reports and other materials 鈥 have been denied by police department officials, who said the case was still an active investigation.
The shooter, Orlando Harris, was shot and killed by police less than 20 minutes after storming his former high school armed with an AR-15-style rifle and about 600 rounds of ammunition.
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Before police confronted Harris in a third-floor classroom and shot him, he killed Jean Kuczka, a teacher who shielded her students, and dance student Alexzandria Bell, 15.
The school district sent a letter out last week to families and staff outlining mental health resources that are available in anticipation of the release of these records.
鈥淲e understand this will be difficult and even triggering for some in our community including the alumni who were with us at the time,鈥 the letter said. 鈥淥ur goal is to continue to be there for you through this process.鈥
A union representing teachers also sent out a letter in anticipation of the release, which in part urged the district to establish a permanent memorial for Kuczka.
It also noted the importance of reviewing the material to learn about prevention efforts and security measures.
鈥淲e must remember and honor those who died in the tragedy but we must continue to be proactive in preparation and prevention regarding the future,鈥 AFT St. Louis Local wrote.