3 killed, 8 wounded in shooting at Michigan high school
A 15-year-old student opened fire inside a Michigan high school Tuesday, killing three people and wounding eight others, authorities said. The suspect, who has not been named, was taken into custody without incident, they said.
Police responded to an active shooter at Oxford High School at 12:51 p.m. local time, according to Michael McCabe, the Oakland County undersheriff. Two officers apprehended the suspect within five minutes of the initial 911 call, McCabe said.
Police recovered a semi-automatic handgun from the scene and said the suspect fired 15 to 20 shots. All the deceased victims were students, McCabe said. They were identified as Tate Myre, 16, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Madisyn Baldwin, 17.
Police also said one of the eight injured people was a 47-year-old teacher at the high school, which is located about 45 miles north of Detroit. The other injured victims are students. The teacher was later discharged from the hospital after being treated for a shoulder wound, authorities said.
Police said it's not yet clear if the suspect targeted any specific students, but said they were not aware of any warning signs before the shooting. The suspect has asked for an attorney and is not speaking with investigators, McCabe said.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered flags to be flown at half staff at the Capitol to honor the victims. Speaking at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Whitmer called the shooting "every parent's worst nightmare."
Watch: Officials provide update on high school shooting
Victims identified
Authorities identified the three students who were killed in the shooting as:
- 16-year-old Tate Myre
- 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana
- 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin
15-year-old suspect being held on homicide charges
The 15-year-old suspect is a resident of Oxford Village and a sophomore at the school, police said Tuesday night. He is being held in a juvenile detention facility for homicide and attempted homicide, but authorities cannot identify him because he has not been charged as an adult.
The suspect was not injured in the shooting, officials said. He is under suicide watch.
14-year-old girl on ventilator after shooting
Of the eight people wounded in the shooting, three are still in critical condition, according to authorities.
A 14-year-old girl is in critical condition with chest and neck gunshot wounds. She is on a ventilator after going through surgery Tuesday. A 17-year-old female is in critical condition with a chest gunshot wound. A 15-year-old boy is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. A 14-year-old boy is in serious condition with jaw and head gunshot wounds.
A 17-year-old girl is in stable condition with a neck gunshot wound. A 15-year-old boy is in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the left leg. A 17-year-old boy is in stable condition with a hip gunshot wound. A 47-year-old teacher has been discharged from the hospital.
There were also multiple non-life threatening injuries as students rushed out of the school during the shooting.
On-scene counseling was made available to all, authorities said.
Gun was purchased by suspect's father four days prior to shooting
Authorities believe that the pistol that was used in Tuesday's shooting was purchased just four days earlier by the suspect's father. The gun had 15-round magazines. Authorities found two of them, but they believe three were purchased.
Authorities said Tuesday night they are looking into social media posts which appear to show the suspect with the weapon used in the shooting.
Suspect had loaded pistol containing seven more rounds of ammunition
When officials arrived at the high school and found the suspect inside, the suspect was walking down the hallway with a loaded firearm, which officials described Tuesday night as a 9 mm pistol. The pistol had seven more rounds of ammunition in it when the suspect was taken into custody, according to police.
Authorities also located a bag which they believe contained the suspect's weapons.
The 15-year-old suspect has not been identified by officials because they are a minor.
Michigan governor delivers emotional statement: "I think this is every parent's worst nightmare"
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer spoke at the second news conference of the day and became emotional when expressing her condolences to the families of the victims. Whitmer said she has ordered flags to be flown at half staff at the Capitol to honor the victims.
"My heart goes out to the families," she said. "This is an unimaginable tragedy."
When asked how the shooting affected her, especially as a mother, Whitmer responded: "I think this is every parent's worst nightmare."
Police "not aware" of any warning signs
Police said they were "not aware" of any warning signs that would have indicated that a shooting was going to occur on Tuesday.
Michael McCabe, the Oakland County undersheriff, said he works closely with school officials, adding, "If there were, I've got to believe they would have told us."
Two wounded victims in surgery
Two of the wounded victims are currently in surgery at local hospitals, according to Michael McCabe, the undersheriff for Oakland County sheriff. The other six are in stable condition.
Deceased victims believed to be students
All of the deceased victims are believed to be students, according to Michael McCabe, the Oakland County undersheriff. None of the deceased or injured victims have been identified.
Biden expressed condolences to families of victims
President Biden briefly addressed the shooting while speaking Tuesday afternoon at a technical college in Minnesota.
"My heart goes out to the families enduring the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one," Mr. Biden said, adding "You've got to know that the whole community has to be in a state of shock right now."
Authorities have not yet established a motive
Police have not yet discovered a motive for the shooting and it's not clear if the suspect targeted a specific student, a law enforcement official told CBS News.
The suspect has requested an attorney and is not speaking with law enforcement, according to Michael McCabe, the Oakland County undersheriff.
Parent says shooting was "terrifying"
A parent of a child who attends Oxford High School told CBS Detroit that the shooting was a "terrifying" experience. Though the parent said her child was not in school that day, she said the shooting shattered the sense of safety she felt in sending her children to school.
"It's very terrifying for me because, it's like, you want to send your kids to school to get a lesson, and you feel that when you send them to school they're being protected — because they're in school, nothing can happen to them," she said.
Michigan governor condemns "horrific" shooting
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a statement condemning the "horrific" shooting and advocating for increased gun control to prevent future tragedies.
"My heart breaks for the students, teachers, staff, and families of Oxford High School. The death of multiple students and the shooting of many others, including a teacher, is horrific," Whitmer said.
"No one should be afraid to go to school, work, a house of worship, or even their own home," she added. "Gun violence is a public health crisis that claims lives every day. We have the tools to reduce gun violence in Michigan. This is a time for us to come together and help our children feel safe at school."
Authorities received more than 100 911 calls
Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe told reporters that dispatchers received more than 100 911 calls about the shooting incident. He said officers arrived at the school within minutes and quickly apprehended the suspect.
Suspect surrendered to officers "without any problems"
The suspect voluntarily surrendered to officers "without any problems," Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe told reporters.
McCabe said no shots were fired at police and the suspect was taken into custody within five minutes of the initial 911 call.
Suspect identified as a 15-year-old student
The suspected shooter was identified as a 15-year-old sophomore at the school, Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe said in a news conference Tuesday. McCabe did not name the suspect.
McCabe said he believes the suspect acted alone but said authorities are continuing to investigate the situation.
