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US school shooting injures 15-year-old, classmate arrested

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Police gather evidence at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Pine Bluff as they investigate the shooting at the school. — AP

Police gather evidence at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Pine Bluff as they investigate the shooting at the school. — AP

Arkansas - The teenage shooter ran away but was found in a nearby neighbourhood by a tracking dog

Published: Tue 2 Mar 2021, 6:58 AM

Updated: Tue 2 Mar 2021, 7:05 AM

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  • AP

A 15-year-old boy shot and seriously injured a fellow student on Monday morning at an Arkansas junior high school, and the suspect was detained in a juvenile detention facility, authorities said.

The shooting happened in a hallway at Watson Chapel Junior High School as students were switching classes at about 10am, Pine Bluff Police Chief Kelvin Sergeant said. The school is in the city of Pine Bluff, about 65km southeast of Little Rock.

The school went on lockdown after the shooting. The shooter ran away but was found in a nearby neighbourhood by a tracking dog, Sergeant said.

The wounded boy, who was also 15, was airlifted to a Little Rock hospital where he was “in very serious condition,” Sergeant said. His name was not released.

At one point, there was confusion about the boy’s condition as a police spokesman reported that he had died. Lt. David DeFoor, Pine Bluff’s police spokesman, later retracted that statement and confirmed the boy was still alive. In the subsequent statement, DeFoor said “bad information was released”.

The suspect was taken to a juvenile detention centre and prosecutors have not yet decided whether charges will be filed in juvenile or adult court, officials said. His name was not released because of his age.

“We don’t have a definite motive right now as to why the incident occurred,” Sergeant said. “However, we do believe this was a targeted incident as opposed to a random incident.”

Arkansas Governot Asa Hutchinson, who had earlier issued a statement mourning the erroneous death report, issued a follow-up statement noting that the boy was alive but in serious condition. “Our prayers remain with the family,” he said.

Monday was scheduled to be Watson Chapel’s first day back for on-site learning in several weeks after winter weather and water issues closed the facility.



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