WEST LIBERTY – A shooting at West Liberty-Salem Local Schools Friday morning sent one student to the hospital.
The shooting occurred at 7:36 a.m. Friday, Champaign County Sheriff Matt Melvin said. A student was shot at the school, and a suspect – another student – was in custody, West Liberty-Salem Schools Superintendent Kraig Hissong said.
The victim was taken to Mary Rutan Hospital and then sent to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Mary Rutan Spokeswoman Laura Miller said. The victim was in critical but stable condition while at Mary Rutan.
Students were being picked up by parents at West Liberty-Salem in the morning. Hissong said students were being taken to Lions Park in West Liberty by grade level to be reunited with their parents at that location.
“Of all the students left in the building, they all seem under control and pretty calm,” he said.
The school district was under lockdown as soon as the shooting occurred, Hissong said. “Our students and staff did a fantastic job. I think that’s what mitigated the situation.”
The West Liberty-Salem Local Schools board will hold an emergency executive session at 5:30 p.m. Friday to discuss security matters. No action is expected to be taken.
There will be a press conference on the shooting at 3:30 p.m. at the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, according to a press conference earlier Friday held outside the school.
We will update this story as more information becomes available.
