A sixth-grader has been arrested after allegedly shooting two students and a janitor at a school in Idaho.

The girl, likely to be 11 or 12, is accused of pulling a gun from her backpack and firing multiple rounds inside and outside Rigby Middle School in Rigby at 9.15am local time.

A hero maths teacher – identified by local media as Krista Gneiting – disarmed her and held her as students were evacuated and police raced to the scene, Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson said.

An investigation has been launched into where the alleged shooter got the gun and the motive for the attack.

All three victims are expected to survive their injuries, although the two students are being kept in hospital overnight and one may need surgery.

One has wounds in two limbs but both are in a ‘fair’ condition, Dr Michael Lemon, trauma medical director at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Centre, said.

He added that an adult victim, reported to be school janitor Jim Wilson, was treated for a wound in an extremity, with a bullet going cleanly through the limb.

Jefferson School District Superintendent Chad Martin described the school shooting as ‘the worst nightmare a school district could encounter’. 

He added that he believed there was ‘no further threat’ to the 1,500 students at the school.

Describing the school shooting, student Iandel Rodriguez, 12, said: ‘Me and my classmate were just in class with our teacher – we were doing work – and then all of a sudden, here was a loud noise and then there were two more loud noises. 

‘Then there was screaming. Our teacher went to check it out, and he found blood.’

Mum Adela Rodriguez said her daughter and son were OK but ‘still a little shaky’ from the terrifying incident as the family left the campus.

Another sixth-grader named Lucy Long told the Post Register newspaper in Idaho Falls her classroom was put into lockdown after hearing gunshots.

The lights and computers were turned off and students were ordered to line up against the wall, she said.

Lucy says a student can be heard whispering ‘it’s real’ on a recording of the incident on her phone.

In a statement, Governor Brad Little said: ‘I am praying for the lives and safety of those involved in today’s tragic events.

‘Thank you to our law enforcement agencies and school leaders for their efforts in responding to the incident.’

The president of the Idaho Education Association, Layne McInelly, said the union was ready to provide whatever support school staff, students and the community needs.

He added: ‘We send positive thoughts to the victims of this tragic incident and hope for their full and rapid recovery. 

‘Patience will need to be at a premium while school officials and law enforcement agencies investigate the situation.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Source: Read Full Article