Wisconsin Officer Shoots Student Who Allegedly Pointed Gun In Classroom

A Wisconsin police officer shot a student who pointed a gun at officers Monday morning at a suburban Milwaukee high school, police said. Waukesha Police Chief Russell Jack told reporters that a student at Waukesha South High School reported that a male student had brought a handgun to a classroom.

Jack said a school resource officer and members of the Waukesha Police Department responded to the classroom where they attempted to open a dialogue with the student and de-escalate the situation. The student wouldn't remove his hands from his pockets and was ignoring officer's commands, Jack said.

The student, a 17-year-old male, then pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the officers, Jack said. One of the officers opened fire, striking the teen, Jack said.

Officers began life-saving treatment, and the student was transported to a hospital, where he was in stable condition.

Terry Schuster, the public relations director for the Waukesha School District, said she understood it was the school resource officer who shot the student. Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and that they are not seeking any other suspects.

Jack said the actions of the officer who opened fire were sanctioned by state statute and department policy. The officer is an 11-year veteran, he said.

All students were safe, school principal Kevin Kitslaar said in a statement released to CBS affiliate WDJT.

Kitslaar said the school was placed under lockdown around 10 a.m. after the school resource officer received the report about the student with the gun. The school was later evacuated.

Students who streamed out of the school about 11:15 a.m. said there was an announcement about a drill and they began to take cover under desks and teachers barricaded doors. They told reporters outside the school that they knew it wasn't a drill when they heard two or three gunshots.

Parents gathered outside and hugged students as they streamed out of the school in Waukesha, about 18 miles west of Milwaukee.

First published on December 2, 2019 / 2:52 PM

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