No class for rest of week after gun fires inside Del. school

Gun fired inside William Penn HS prompts classes to be canceled for the week

NEW CASTLE, Del. (CBS) -- Classes are canceled for the rest of the week at William Penn High School after a gunshot that forced a school lockdown.

Delaware State Police said around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday, the school resource officer found signs that a bullet hit somewhere in a second-floor boy's bathroom.

"It was a two-and-a-half-hour lockdown because someone got into school with a firearm," sophomore Barry Loglisci said.

Loglisci says during the lockdown, he and other students huddled in the corner of their chemistry classroom.

They were told to stay quiet with the lights off and doors locked.

"It was a little like anxiety attack I had during the thing," Loglisci said, "but other than that, yeah, it is a scary situation."

John Barr, head of school security for Colonial School District, says before the shooting there was a scuffle among several boys in the hallway. He says then, one of the boys brought a gun to the bathroom and a shot went off, hitting the floor.

"We don't know if it was accidental or if it was meant to be for somebody," Barr said. "We don't have that information."

Barr says the suspect ran out of the building before Delaware State Police arrived on the scene.

"We took them around back, we showed them exactly where the student left the building," Barr said. "The canine picked up the scent and as the scent trailed, the forensic team was done with their investigation upstairs."

Police found the suspect's handgun outside the building.

Detectives returned to the school Wednesday to review the surveillance video.

"There's more than one person of interest, we'll call it," Cpl. Jason Hatchell said.

The school district is now considering increasing its security measures. 

"Our next steps [are] providing detection," Barr said, "such as maybe metal detection that can assist to alert and deter such activities."

Delaware State Police say there could be multiple arrests in this case. They encourage anyone with information that could help the investigation.

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