Updated on: Aug 21, 2025 08:52 am IST
Little Rock’s Rockefeller Early Childhood Center was locked down after a fatal shooting; lockdown was lifted as police continue probe.
The Rockefeller Early Childhood Center, an elementary school in Little Rock, Arkansas was briefly placed on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after a fatal shooting of a school employee near the school’s parking lot, the police confirmed.
The lockdown was later lifted shortly and anxious parents were able to pick their children up, the local media reported. Later, the police in Little Rock identified the victim as Michelle Butler, 36. She was Little Rock native.
The elementary school is located on 700 E 17th Street in Little Rock. The shooting happened at the 15th and Bragg Street, which near the school’s parking lot. Police initially confirmed to the media that it was not a school shooting and no one else was injured.
Later, they said in a release the shooting was domestic in nature, and identified Duane Nooner, 29 as the suspect. The police said that Nooner was in a relationship with Butler.
At around 2:55 p.m., 911 calls were made reporting the shooting, as per NBC affiliate KARK.
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“This should never, ever happen, and we must continue to do everything we can to prevent this type of senseless violence in our City,” Mayor Frank Scott Jr said. “We are outraged, angry and heartbroken that this crime occurred in such proximity to our precious children.”
Little Rock School District said in a statement: “While no students were involved, we know that this event deeply impacts our entire school family, especially the staff members who may have witnessed the incident.”
