An assistant principle from an Illinois middle school was one of three persons killed in a shooting near campus on Tuesday afternoon.
Nerissa Lee, the Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle School, was one of three people killed in a shooting in Berwyn on Tuesday afternoon.
Bewyn North School District 98 verified the educator's identify as one of three slain in a shooting near the school site on Wednesday. The district stated that the shooting was related to a domestic violence incident.
Berwyn police said officers heard gunfire around 4:05 p.m. near the school and arrived to find a man firing a rifle into another vehicle. As officers approached, the suspect fired at them. Police said officers did not return fire and took cover according to FOX32.
Berwyn North School District 98 Supt. Michelle Smith said in a statement that the gunman shot himself after killing two people in the car, one of whom was Lee.
A report via CBS News Chicago told of up to 20 shots ringing out and two dark sedans rammed into each other and with some windows blown out. One of the vehicles had a cascade of bullet holes to the windshield.
The shooter was observed slumped over inside their vehicle.
Berwyn Police decline to release relationship of victims to shooter
Police and school officials said the incident appears to be domestic-related and there is no ongoing danger to the community.
‘The impact of this loss is deeply felt not only within the school community but throughout Berwyn,’ Berwyn Police said in an update. ‘Assistant Principal Lee was a dedicated educator and leader who touched the lives of countless students and staff members.’
Three dead, including suspect, in a domestic-related shooting outside Lincoln Middle School in Berwyn, Illinois.
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) September 17, 2025
Over 100 kids went into hard lockdown after shots rang out around 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Police say suspect died from self-inflicted gunshot. School closed Wed, no… pic.twitter.com/agCCnpRHk2
‘As we continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident, we remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community and supporting all affected by this tragedy,’ police said.
Lincoln Middle School was closed for instruction on Wednesday. However, social workers and counselors were available for students on campus.
School officials said classes will resume at the middle school on Thursday.
Berwyn police declined to provide further details about the suspect or the victims, their relationship to each other.
