The two deceased victims in the St. Louis school shooting were the teacher and juvenile female, police revealed in a news conference.
Jean Kirk Kuczka was named as the health teacher who was shot to death by the active shooter at Central VPA High School in St. Louis, Missouri.
The female student was named by relatives as Alex Bell, 16. Seven other students were also injured. They are in stable condition.
This story will contain a bio and photo of each victim as they are named.
Here’s what you need to know about the St. Louis school shooting victims
Jean Kirk Kuczka, Health Teacher
Kuczka was a health teacher at the school. In her faculty bio, Kuczka, 61, spoke about her love of teaching. The bio reads:
I cannot imagine myself in any other career but teaching. In high school, I taught swimming lessons at the YMCA. From that point on, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I believe that every child is a unique human being and deserves a chance to learn. I also believe that Health is the most awesome subject in school, because, without your health, you cannot live to your fullest potential. I love teaching Health and Physical Education and guiding students to make wise decisions. Respect is my favorite word!
The teacher’s faculty bio says;
After earning her bachelor of science in education, she began teaching physical education at Seven Holy Founders in Affton, MO. For the next 16 years, Jean developed a physical education program for the K-8 SHF students. Wanting to teach strictly middle school children, Jean began her SLPS career at Carr Lane in 2002. At first, she taught physical education, but wanted to pass on her passion for health, so she developed a health program for the middle school.
After health became a state-required course for high school, Jean transferred to Central Visual and Performing Arts High School where she has taught Health, Personal Finance, and Physical Education since 2008.
According to the bio, she lived in Dittmer, Missouri, with her husband and one of her five children. “She enjoys spending time with her 7 grandchildren and is an avid bike rider,” the bio says. “Each year she participates in JDRF’s Ride to Cure to raise money to find a cure for juvenile diabetes, a disease her 29 year old son has been living with for 19 years.”
Deceased Female Juvenile Named Alex Bell, 16
Authorities have not released much information about the other deceased victim, other than to say she is a female juvenile who was found dead at the scene.
Her family members confirmed her name.
“RIP to Alex, a beautiful, smart, and talented girl who didn’t deserve any of this,” wrote state Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins.
Alex’s cousin wrote, “l please pray for me and my family💔 My little cousin Alexandria was one of the deceased victims of the Active school shooting today😭😭 Lord wrap your arms around My cousin Keisha Acres I love you we’ll get through this she didn’t deserve this💔💔”
Read a tribute to Alex Bell here.
Two Other Students Are Among the Wounded
Michael Sack, St. Louis police chief, said in a press conference on Monday, October 24, 2022, that officers “arrived within minutes of the call going out” and immediately made entry into the school.
Two other students are among the wounded; one person suffered cardiac arrest, according to KSDK-TV.
The chief confirmed that eight people were wounded, and two people were dead. The suspect is also dead. Some people were shot, and some struck with shrapnel.
Math teacher David Williams told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the school principal used a “code phrase” over the loudspeaker around 9 a.m. that “indicates a school shooter in the building.”
Williams then heard gunfire outside his classroom, and a window on a classroom door was “shot out,” the newspaper reported.
“You are all going to (expletive) die,” a man’s voice said, he told the Post-Dispatch.
READ NEXT: Remembering Jean Kirk Kuczka.