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ALBEMARLE, N.C. — One student is in the hospital and another is in custody after a shooting at Albemarle High School early Tuesday morning.
“In this case we had the suspect immediately in custody,” said Albemarle Police Chief William Halliburton.
Officials have not released the identity of the student or the severity of the victim’s injury. Halliburton would only say the victim “was shot in the lower extremities.”
Police said the shooting stemmed from an altercation between the two students. There were a few students who witnessed the shooting.
“We had 20 officers there (at the school) within minutes,” Halliburton said during a news conference.
He said the school resource officer stopped the suspect after the shooting and took him into custody.
“We have recovered the gun,” Halliburton said. “It was placed on the ground.”
The chief said the weapon was a handgun but did not say how many shots were fired.
“He could have done more so the reaction is that we’re thankful that he gave himself up,” Halliburton said.
Police do believe any others were involved in the shooting.
Officers did a sweep of the school while students were in lockdown. After the school was deemed safe, students were evacuated.
“The school was evacuated within one and a half hours,” Halliburton said.
Once the school was evacuated the students went about a block away to North Albemarle Baptist Church on Salisbury. A staging area was set-up for parents at the church.
Classes have been cancelled for today. A decision has not been made if classes will be cancelled for Wednesday.
Halliburton said police had trained for school shooting during a training exercise this summer.
“I feel we were as prepared as we could be,” he said.
The victim was taken to Stanly Regional Medical Center for treatment.
Agencies/Canadajournal
