One student opened fire at the central Illinois high school
Normal Community High School had the potential to be a tragic scene Friday, as one student opened fire in a classroom. One student is currently in custody, and no one was injured.
The 14-year-old student fired gunshots into the ceiling of the packed Normal Community High School classroom. A teacher was able to tackle and detain the student before any damage was done to those attending that class.
A recorded message was sent to parents through the use of an electronic alert system. “Earlier this morning a student fired shots into the ceiling at Normal Community High School,” said Mclean County Unit District 5 Superintendent Gary C. Niehaus.
Teachers led the school’s 1,800 students to a nearby church, and parents were allowed to pick up their student after providing identification.
At a news conference after the incident, Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner stated that a handgun was used, but shots weren’t directed at anyone, according to the Chicago Tribune. The motive for the shots fired at Normal Community High School is unknown.
While investigation of the crime scene, which included the entire campus, is underway, the high school was inaccessible. “Everything is locked down right now, including the street around the school,” Bleichner said, but expected the lockdown to fade as the hours went on.
Normal Community High School, which is located in Normal, Illinois, postponed its Friday night football game. Classes continued elsewhere in the area Friday, according to the district.
