DIXON, Ill. _ A rifle that authorities allege was used by a 19-year-old in a shooting Wednesday at Dixon High School was purchased by the youth's mother, authorities said Thursday afternoon.
An investigation by Illinois State Police found that the mother of Matthew A. Milby purchased a 9 mm semiautomatic rifle in 2012. State police said in a news release that they are pursuing leads to determine how Milby obtained access to the weapon.
Milby is charged with three counts of felony aggravated discharge of a firearm in the incident, in which he is alleged to have fired the weapon at the school and later at a school resource officer, who returned fire and wounded the youth.
Milby's mother, Julie Milby, told reporters Wednesday that her son was bullied and ostracized at school, and was beaten up in October. She also said she didn't know how he had gotten the gun.
"My son has been very, very sad for a long time," Julie Milby told reporters outside her home near the school.
On Thursday, before news of the weapon's purchase had been released, Julie Milby said she didn't want to speak about her son, except for some brief comments.
"I'm not allowed to talk to you," she told a Chicago Tribune reporter who approached her outside the family's home.
"If you have kids, in this world today, it's ... " she began, her voice trailing off. "It's terrible. He's not a bad kid."
She was then joined by her husband, Matthew Milby Sr., who referred the reporter to their attorney.
Dixon Public Schools District 170 Superintendent Margo Empen would not say whether Milby had been the victim of bullying.
Milby was released from a hospital in Dixon and booked into the Lee County Jail, officials said Thursday morning. Bail was set at $2 million and additional charges are possible, officials said. He is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned Friday, state police said.
State police have recovered and are reviewing surveillance footage from inside the school. There was no footage recovered from outside the school, where, according to authorities, Milby and the police officer exchanged gunfire.
Empen said the impact of the incident will long be felt, but she believed the community will emerge stronger.
She said graduation will go on as planned Sunday.
Students had gathered for graduation practice Wednesday when the shooting started.
The school was only open for two hours Thursday so students could retrieve any personal belongings left behind during the evacuation after the shooting.
And the school will also hold the graduation practice Thursday. Students had gathered for the practice Wednesday when the shooting started.
"What was interrupted yesterday will happen today," Empen said.
"We can't wait to see our seniors graduate on Sunday, and we can't wait to see our freshmen through juniors back in school tomorrow," she said.
Authorities on Wednesday said Milby previously had been a student at the school, but Empen said Thursday that Milby "was an enrolled student with us who had obtained credits to graduate" on Sunday.
Empen would not say whether Milby had any disciplinary history at the school.
Empen said that despite the traumatic events Wednesday, she hopes the seniors and the community can push those memories aside when the students don their caps and gowns.
"We're strong, we're here for each other, and Sunday's graduation is a celebration of them and their accomplishments," Empen said.
"We will never be the same as we were before that happened yesterday," she said. "We will be better. We will be stronger."
She praised both physical education teacher Andrew McKay and Dixon Police Officer Mark Dallas for their bravery when confronted by an armed gunman.
The officer, a 15-year Police Department veteran, shot and injured Milby after Milby allegedly fired at the officer while trying to flee, police said.
Milby was taken into custody, and no one else was injured in the gunfire exchange, authorities said. He was charged late Wednesday.
Dixon is about 100 miles west of Chicago.
Authorities said the incident began about 8 a.m. when Milby allegedly "fired several shots" near the gym. Dallas, who has worked as a school resource officer at Dixon High for five years, rushed to the area. He confronted Milby, who then fled. With the officer in pursuit, Milby allegedly fired several shots at Dallas but did not strike him, Police Chief Steven Howell said.
The officer returned fire and struck the suspect, who was then taken into custody just west of the school, Howell said.
"His bravery yesterday is almost indescribable," Empen said of Dallas. "We are so proud of him and wish him and his family healing."
She said she has not yet spoken with Dallas, preferring to give him space to process the events of Wednesday morning. But she did reach out via text message.
"Just ... letting him know that we are so grateful and humbled and can't wait to see him," Empen said.
Students said Wednesday that McKay, the physical education instructor, came running into the gym and shouted that everyone should get out.
Empen said she has hugged McKay "numerous times" since the shooting, saying it is sobering to contemplate that he could have been killed or injured.
McKay, she said, is a recent transplant from Baltimore, moving back to the Midwest with his wife and daughter in order to be closer to family.
Empen said she is still unclear on all the details, but said her understanding is that McKay encountered Milby in the hall near Lancaster Gymnasium, where the seniors were gathered for the graduation rehearsal.
"As he was walking past Lancaster Gym, he encountered the suspect," Empen said. "He ducked from the gunfire and was able to warn the other students."
Until Wednesday, Milby's brushes with the law were minor.
He was cited with local ordinance violations in 2015, once for possession of cannabis and once for consumption of alcohol, but the cases were dropped or dismissed, court records show.
His most recent contact with police came earlier May 1, when he was cited for speeding. Records show he pleaded guilty.
