Officials identify the 11-year-old boy murdered by trans gunman in Iowa school shooting

A trans-identifying teen who had reportedly been active on a school shooting chatroom brought to the FBI's attention last year shot up a high school in Perry, Iowa, on Thursday, murdering a child and grievously injuring several others.

Officials have identified the 11-year-old boy killed in the rampage as Ahmir Jolliff.

As the child's family prepares for his funeral Thursday, various publications continue to recycle the Associated Press' early framing of the shooter as a victim of bullying despite his clear appetite for attacking unarmed innocents.

The shooter and the FBI

A 17-year-old student at Perry High School showed up for the new semester last week armed with a pump-action shotgun, a homemade bomb, and a small-caliber handgun, according to authorities.

Blaze News previously noted that prior to the shooting, the suspect posted a selfie taken inside the school's bathroom to his TikTok account along with the lyrics "now we wait" from the song "Stray Bullet" from the German band KMFDM. The same song was featured on the personal website of one of the shooters behind the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

NBC News reported that before the shooting, the suspect also wrote in a Discord message, "I'm f****** nervous, I'm the bathroom gearing up."

The shooter's Reddit and TikTok accounts, both deactivated shortly after the shooting, revealed that the shooter featured an LGBT activist flag in his bio and indicated he used "he/they" pronouns. Beside engaging online with other LGBT activists about transgenderism, the shooter also used the hashtag "genderfluid" and posted, "[L]ove your trans kids."

The shooter, son of the Perry airport's director and a small business owner, admitted in one Reddit post that a fear of looking ugly prevented him from beginning the sex-change process.

While keen to proudly display an LGBT activist flag in his social media bio, the shooter was evidently not big on intersectionality, having also noted in his Discord correspondence, "There's a n***** in the bathroom, I need him to leave so I can assemble my guns."

A Discord user who saw the shooter in a chatroom dedicated to discussing school shootings called "School Massacres Discussion" told NBC News they reported the chatroom to the FBI in November. The user's report concerning the chatroom did not directly reference the shooter's handle, "took2much." Nevertheless, they shared screenshots with an FBI agent who allegedly never got back in touch. Nevertheless, the chatroom was shut down before the Perry shooting.

The FBI did not respond to NBC News' request for comment.

The shooting

After first lurking in the bathroom and circulating more of his depraved thoughts online, the shooter who may have been known to the FBI opened fire on staff and children around 7:47 a.m., before the start of classes.

Police were quick to respond, rushing into the school "within minutes" of the initial report of an active shooter, according Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Assistant Director Mitch Mortvedt.

Before being able to use his improvised explosive device, which Mortvedt suggested was "pretty rudimentary," the shooter offed himself with a well-placed gunshot to the head.

Of the seven victims who received wounds or injuries, four were students and three were staff members. Two students remain in hospital, one of whom was reportedly shot multiple times. The other two were treated and released.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety indicated that as of Friday, Perry High School principal Dan Marburger was still in critical condition, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators indicated Marburger "acted selflessly and placed himself in harm's way in an apparent effort to protect his students."

A young life cut short

Ahmir Jolliff, known to family and friends as "Smiley" on account of his exuberant disposition, suffered three gunshot wounds, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The boy, a Chicago-born student at Perry Middle School — which is attached to the high school — was in the cafeteria when the trans shooter opened fire.

Jolliff's obituary in the Des Moines Register noted that Jolliff's "love for life was reflected in his diverse array of hobbies, including participating in the choir and band, playing soccer, and immersing himself in the world of video games."

The obituary further indicated that "Ahmir was not just a bright light; he was a steadfast defender of justice. He stood up against bullies, championing those who needed a voice and ensuring that kindness prevailed."

The boy's mother told the Associated Press, which has cast her son's killer as a victim of bullying, "He was so well-loved and he loved everyone."

"He's such an outgoing person," added Erica Jolliff.

A funeral service will take place at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Perry at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 11. Overflow seating will reportedly be available across the street at First Cristian Church (Disciples of Christ).

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