At least eight people were killed in an active shooter situation Friday morning at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, according to Ed Gonzalez, the sheriff in neighboring Harris County.
“Could be anywhere between eight and 10 [fatalities], the majority being students,” Gonzalez told reporters near the school. “The suspect in custody is believed to be a student.”
The Santa Fe Independent School District (ISD) said in a statement that people have been injured but did not disclose how many.
Gonzalez said a police officer is among the injured and “the extent of his injuries are unknown.”
President Donald Trump described the shooting as an “absolutely horrific attack,” one of many that have “been going on too long in this country.” Trump told the victims and their families “we’re with you in this tragic hour and we will be with you forever.” He vowed to get guns “out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others.”
Police and other local emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, as well as federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Santa Fe is located in southeastern Texas between the cities of Houston and Galveston.
Santa Fe High School was put on lockdown in February after reports of shots fired. In that instance, no one was injured and police did not find any evidence that shots actually had been fired.
The latest shooting comes about three months after a shooter with a semi-automatic rifle killed 17 students and school staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The Parkland massacre rekindled a national debate over gun control and triggered demonstrations across the U.S. advocating for more stringent gun control laws.
Source: VOA