Well being trainer killed in south St. Louis college taking pictures ‘beloved her college students’

ST. LOUIS – The girl shot useless on the Central Excessive College of Performing and Visible Arts on Monday has been recognized as Jean Kuczka, a fitness center trainer at St. Louis.

Kuczka, 61, of Jefferson County, has taught on the college since 2008, in keeping with her college biography.

A gunman entered Kuczka’s classroom, Room 323, and Kuczka went forward of him to guard the scholars, her daughter was advised. It was not instantly clear why the gunman got here to her room or whether or not he was focusing on a sure trainer.

A teenage woman was additionally killed in a rage earlier than police stormed the varsity at 3125 South Kingshighway and killed the gunman. Neither the teenager’s nor the gunman’s names have been launched.

“My mom beloved kids,” her daughter Abigail Kuczka stated. “She loves her college students. I do know her college students checked out her like she was their mom as a result of numerous them did not have a great dwelling life.”

Jean Kuczka graduated from Lindbergh Excessive College in 1979. She attended Southwest Missouri State College, now Missouri, on a discipline hockey scholarship, and he or she was a member of the 1979 nationwide championship crew.

She teaches gymnastics at Seven Holy Founders in south St. Louis for 16 years. She later taught Gymnastics at Carr Lane of St. Louis, then transferred to Central Excessive College of Visible and Performing Arts in 2008. The varsity’s web site says she has taught well being, private finance and Health.

Kuczka just lately started teaching cross-country at Collegiate, a Public magnet college in St. Louis shares campus with CVPA.

“That is her first 12 months with out nesting, and he or she is searching for one thing to do,” says Abigail Kuczka. “Even so, she undoubtedly appears to be like ahead to retiring. She was shut. “

Kuczka is a mom of two sons and three daughters. Certainly one of her sons is police officer Eureka. She additionally has six grandchildren. Her husband, Stephen Kuczka, choked up when contacted by cellphone Monday afternoon however stated he didn’t need to remark but.

Abigail Kuczka stated her mom spoke about safety considerations at the highschool final semester, telling relations {that a} pupil from one other college had introduced a gun into the constructing.

“She talked about that, however aside from that, she did not actually suppose something of it” about security considerations, her daughter stated. “I imply, I feel individuals suppose it is by no means going to occur to them.”

Kuczka loves biking and attends an occasion yearly to boost cash to assist struggle teenage diabetes. Kuczka has a son who was recognized with kind 1 diabetes when he was 10 years outdated, stated Abigail Kuczka.