What we know about Perry High School principal Dan Marburger, who was reportedly shot Thursday

Perry High School's principal, Dan Marburger, is reportedly among the victims of Thursday morning's shooting at the school.

Two teachers said Marburger was shot.

A father also told the Des Moines Register that his son saw the principal get shot.

Multiple people were shot at the high school on Thursday morning, about 20 minutes before school was scheduled to start, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said at a news conference.

Heavy police and medical presence was seen at the high school, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Des Moines in Dallas County. Streets for several blocks were barricaded, dozens of law enforcement from across central Iowa were on scene and a medical helicopter was seen landing at the school at about 8:30 a.m.

The suspect in a shooting at Perry High School has died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.

Live updates: Multiple people shot at Perry High School on Thursday; police say they know shooter

What we know about Dan Marburger

Marburger wrote in his biography for the school district’s website that he’s been working for Perry schools for 25 years. He is a graduate of East Central High School in Miles and got a degree in social studies education from Central College in 1989, as well as a master’s degree in educational administration from Drake University. He is from Sabula in Eastern Iowa on the Mississippi River.

The Perry Chief reported when Marburger started in 1995 in Perry as an assistant high school principal that he had been a B-average student who had participated in sports and been class president.

He is the youngest son of six children. His parents were in business and farming.

He was on the football team at Central College in Pella and described himself in 1995 as an avid golfer who enjoyed sporting events including college football games.

“I had great teachers I wanted to be like,” Marburger told the Perry Chief about why he got into education. “I always knew I’d be a teacher,” he said.

After graduating from Central College, he taught social studies for four years at East Central Community High School and then middle school computer skills for two years.

He also taught physical education and had been an athletic director and middle school administrator.Marburger said he especially enjoyed teaching history, as well as coaching.

As an assistant principal at Perry who spent most of his time working with students on attendance and discipline issues, Marburger said he enjoyed speaking with students. “In the hallways, at school activities. I like to know how things are going for them.”

As principals, “We are here to help all the students succeed as long as they want to succeed,” he said.

His personal message in his Perry school district biography is a quote attributed to Maya Angelou: “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”

Marburger and Perry have mourned together several times in recent years

Marburger and the Perry Community School District have seen several deaths in the past three years. Perry High School senior Melanie Gonzalez, 18, drowned in May 2021.

Two Perry students from Jamaica, 13- and 15-year-olds Walter and Daisy Gavidia, were killed in a car crash in March 2023. Their 17-year-old sister Edlyn Gavidia, another Perry student, was left in critical condition.

And a Perry High School industrial technology teacher, Chad Morman, 39, was killed in April 2023 in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 141. “I think there’s a cumulative effect of that, particularly among staff,” Marburger said at the time. “We have to get out of this trend, it’s almost constant sadness.”

Friends react to the news

Jackie Norris, Des Moines School Board’s chair who started her teaching career in Perry, told the Des Moines Register that Marburger is “the most decent and kind human being I have ever met. He was my first principal as a first-year teacher and no doubt my best and favorite.”

Norris shared a story about leaving the high school late one night after a basketball game, when she witnessed Marburger cleaning the gym floor. “There he was, a figure of authority, in the school, late at night, everyone gone, pushing a dust mop. As a first-year teacher, I couldn't help but comment on this unusual sight,” she said in an email to the Des Moines Register.

Norris said Marburger told her he was personally doing the work because, "‘Someone’s gotta do it. It doesn't mater your title; it's about getting the work done.’”

Easton Valley Community School District, where Marburger graduated from high school and worked early in his career, issued a statement about the shooting on Facebook.

"This morning our state is grieving after learning of a school shooting that took place at Perry High School. Sadly, we have also received information that one of our former East Central graduates, Dan Marburger, was one of the victims injured in the incident. We have not confirmed the extent of his injuries so we wanted to send out a message asking for thoughts and prayers for him and his family. Dan has served as a principal for the Perry Community School District since 1995.

"Our hearts break to hear of this kind of violence that affects so many people, including many in our community. Our thoughts will also be with the entire Perry community as they grieve through this traumatic event. We will follow up with any updates once we receive more information."

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Phillip Sitter focuses for the Des Moines Register on reporting on suburban growth and development in the western metro areas.Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

Samantha Hernandez and Allison Ullman contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Perry High School principal Dan Marburger reportedly shot