At a high school in Rockford, Washington (south of Spokane), at least six people were shot during an attack by what appears to be a lone gunman. The Spokane County Sheriff’s office has also confirmed that one shooting victim has died during this incident at Freedman High School. Following the initial attack, all of the district’s schools were immediately placed upon lockdown as authorities and first responders reported to the scene. At this time, one suspect has been taken into custody.
The shooting victims’ ages or identities are not yet known, but at least two sustained injuries serious enough for hospital admission. Both victims were rushed to the Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, and Dr. Jeff Collins (the facility’s chief physician) says the situation is under control. “We’re all hands on deck,” Collins said. “We train for this regularly.”
The Seattle Times reports word from one parent, who witnessed the scene outside the school as it unfolded:
Annie Baxter, whose two daughters attended a middle school across the street from the high school, told the Spokesman-Review that children were running into buildings when she pulled up to the school area at about 10:15 a.m. Classes were about to begin because it’s a “late start” day, Baxter said.
“They did a modified lockdown drill yesterday,” she said. “I thought it was weird because they wouldn’t do (a drill) two days in a row.”
At this time, the condition of the hospitalized shooting victims remains unclear. However, the school’s buildings have been cleared, and the district-wide lockdown has been lifted. Here’s a photo (courtesy of local CBS affiliate KREM’s Kierra Elfalan) of parents waiting outside the school for their children to be released into their care.
Parents are standing outside of Freeman High School right now waiting to see their kids. pic.twitter.com/SoJ6JhXHsJ
— Kierra Elfalan (@KierraElfalanTV) September 13, 2017
This is a breaking story, and we will report new details as they become available.
(Via Spokesman-Review & Seattle Times)