Iowa Principal Who Protected Students During School Shooting Dies

In a tragic turn of events, Dan Marburger, the principal of Perry High School in Iowa, has passed away after sustaining critical injuries during a school shooting earlier this month. The news of Marburger's death was confirmed by the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory, following an announcement made by his family on a GoFundMe page.

The incident occurred on January 4, when a 17-year-old student opened fire in the school's cafeteria, where students were gathered for breakfast before classes. Tragically, an 11-year-old middle school student lost his life in the shooting, and six others were harmed. The shooter, later identified as Dylan Butler, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

The day after the incident, the state Department of Public Safety commended Marburger for his selfless act of bravery, stating that he had willingly placed himself in harm's way in an effort to protect his students.

News of Marburger's passing deeply affected the Perry community, with support pouring in on the family's GoFundMe page and the Perry Facebook page. Condolences from nearly 200 individuals flooded in within the first hour of the announcement.

Marburger's daughter, Claire Marburger, described her father as a "gentle giant" and expressed that it was not surprising that he had tried to safeguard his students. She wrote, "As I heard of a gunman, I instantly had a feeling my Dad would be a victim as he would put himself in harm's way for the benefit of the kids and his staff. That's just Dad."

Details regarding Marburger's heroic actions have not been disclosed by authorities, aside from mentioning that he did "pretty significant things" to protect others during the shooting. Perry Superintendent Clark Wicks hailed Marburger as a hero for intervening and allowing students to escape from the teenage gunman.

The 11-year-old victim, Ahmir Jolliff, was shot three times. The shooting took place just after 7:30 a.m. on January 4, shortly before classes were scheduled to resume after the winter break. The cafeteria was the initial site of the shooting, which later spilled over to other parts of the school but remained contained to the north end.

Authorities discovered that Butler possessed a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Additionally, they found a "pretty rudimentary" improvised explosive device among his belongings, which had to be disarmed by experts.

The loss of Principal Dan Marburger has left the Perry community mourning a dedicated educator who sacrificed his life while protecting his students. His bravery and selflessness will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.