Crime & Safety
Assistant Principal Killed In Shooting Outside School That Left 3 Dead: Police
A gunman opened fire on a vehicle, killing two, then turned the rifle on himself in the domestic violence incident, police said.
BERWYN, IL — An assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School was among the three people who died when a gunman opened fire into a vehicle and then turned the rifle on himself outside the school on Tuesday afternoon, according to authorities.
“It is with great sadness that I announce to you that Nerissa Lee, Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle School, lost her life in yesterday's tragic shooting that occurred outside of Lincoln,” Berwyn North School District 98 Superintendent Michelle Smith said in a message to the district community on Wednesday.
The shooter was identified on Wednesday as 54-year-old Steven T. Lee by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Officials have not released the identity of the other victim, although the medical examiner's office case archive as of Wednesday night listed the deceased as a 76-year-old woman.
Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Officers heard gunfire around 4 p.m. Tuesday near the school in the 6400 block of 16th Street, police said. Upon arrival, they saw a man firing a rifle into a vehicle, and as they approached, the gunman opened fire on the officers, who took cover and did not shoot back, according to police.
The school was put on an immediate hard lockdown, police said.
Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
All three people died at the scene, according to police, who said the incident appeared to be domestic-related.
“Tuesday's domestic violence incident senselessly took the lives of three people,” Mayor Robert Lovero said in a prepared statement. “Domestic violence has a rippling effect on a community and changes the lives of all those impacted.”
The school was closed for instruction on Wednesday but will resume classes on Thursday, with counselors available, according to Smith.
“Assistant Principal Lee was a dedicated educator and leader who touched the lives of countless students and staff members,” the Berwyn Police Department said in a news release Wednesday.
Lovero directed community members in need of domestic violence resources to Sarah’s Inn at www.sarahsinn.org and 708-386-4225.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
