Two teenagers were shot at Heritage High School in Newport News on Monday morning, police said.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said that the two teenagers injured in the shooting were a boy, 17, who was shot in the side of his head, and a girl, 17, who was shot in her leg. According to Drew, both victims will survive.
The person, who investigators believe was responsible for the shooting, was already taken into custody at around 2.50 p.m. the same day.
Drew also said that both victims knew the accused before the shooting happened. The suspect was also a teenage boy, but did not state if he was also a student at the Heritage Highschool.
“There are some things we need to put together, where did he go, what did he leave behind, why did this happen…but by the grace of God, everything I’ve been told are the two injuries are not life-threatening,” Chief Drew told 13News Now.
Drew also confirmed that officers found the shooter through the help of the community and family members of students by calling them. The first call about the incident came in at 11.38 a.m.
There were also at least two people who had to go to the hospital. One of them had a broken arm which was caused by the evacuation that transpired. The other one had asthma issues.
Students were directed to go to the schools’ tennis courts after evacuating the building. Parents were able to meet their children at the tennis court.
Governor Ralph Northam in a tweet encouraged everyone to avoid the area and follow instructions given by the law enforcement.
Police officers also confirmed that reports circulating that there are also shooters at other schools are untrue.
Drew together with other officers, members of the FBI, and Virginia State Police force searched the entire school after the incident to confirm that no one was left in the school building.
Although investigators said that they were able to recover evidence at the scene of the incident and in other parts of the school grounds, the police chief said he could not give details about the evidence.
“It’s a large area but it looks like the crime scene is considerably small. I will tell you there has been evidence recovered that’s going to be very beneficial,” Drew said.
Rahard Wright, Newport News Public Schools Chief of Operations, told 13News Now that both Huntington Middle School and Heritage High School will be closed tomorrow. He did not mention when they will reopen.
On the school’s website, all afterschool activities are postponed for all NNPS schools.
Governor Northam also thanked the first responders “for their heroic work today”. “Our prayers are with those hospitalized, their families, and the entire community. Virginia has made great strides to reduce gun violence—and we have more work to do.”
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