Killing of Vicki Kaspar at Millard South High School
On January 5, 2011, a 17-year-old Millard South High School senior shot and killed vice principal Vicki Kaspar and wounded principal Curtis Case before fatally shooting himself in his car near the school.
On January 5, 2011, a shooting occurred at Millard South High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Robert Butler Jr., a 17-year-old senior at the school, had been suspended that morning for trespassing on school grounds after an earlier incident on New Year's Day in which he drove his car onto the school's football field.
At approximately 12:45 p.m., Butler returned to the school armed with a Glock .40-caliber pistol he had taken from his father's cabinet. He signed in for an appointment with vice principal Vicki Kaspar, walked into her office, and shot her. Moments later, principal Curtis Case ran into the hallway and was shot several times in the chest and hip. Butler then moved into the front office area, firing randomly; gunshot debris caused minor injuries to the school nurse.
After the shooting inside the school, Butler left the building and drove approximately two miles to a nearby BP gas station, where he fatally shot himself inside his vehicle. It was later reported that Butler had consumed K2, a synthetic cannabis product, before the shootings.
During the incident, Millard South High School went into lockdown, a measure that was later extended to all 21,000 students across the Millard School District. Kaspar and Case were both hospitalized at Saint Joseph Hospital at Creighton University Medical Center. Several hours later, Kaspar died of multiple head and chest wounds.
The shooting was described as the deadliest school shooting in Nebraska's history and the second such incident in the state's modern history, following a 1995 shooting in Chadron that left a teacher injured.
Because the perpetrator died at the scene of his own gunshot wound, no criminal charges were filed and no prosecution occurred.
Robert Butler Jr. drove his car onto the Millard South High School football field.
2011-01-05
Butler was suspended that morning for the New Year's Day trespassing incident.
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At approximately 12:45 p.m., Butler returned to the school armed with a Glock .40-caliber pistol and shot vice principal Vicki Kaspar in her office.
2011-01-05
Principal Curtis Case was shot several times in the chest and hip after running into the hallway.
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Butler fired randomly in the front office area, causing minor injuries to the school nurse from gunshot debris.
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Butler drove roughly two miles to a nearby BP gas station and fatally shot himself inside his vehicle.
2011-01-05
Kaspar and Case were hospitalized at Saint Joseph Hospital at Creighton University Medical Center; Kaspar died several hours later of multiple head and chest wounds.
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Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
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People
Curtis Case
VICTIM
Principal shot several times in the chest and hip; hospitalized.
Robert Butler Jr.
CHARGED
17-year-old student identified as the shooter; died by suicide at the scene before any criminal charges could be filed or adjudicated.
Vicki Kaspar
VICTIM
Vice principal fatally shot in her office; died of multiple head and chest wounds.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
On January 5, 2011, a 17-year-old Millard South High School senior shot and killed vice principal Vicki Kaspar and wounded principal Curtis Case before fatally shooting himself in his car near the school.
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