La Salle High School Shooting: Attempted Suicide Victim 'Fighting for His Life' (VIDEO)
An honors student at La Salle High School in Ohio is reportedly "fighting for his life" after attempting suicide in front of his classmates on Monday morning. The youth shot himself, apparently hoping to kill himself, but failed. He is now in critical condition and the school is dealing with the aftermath of the shooting.
"A student produced a gun inside one of the classrooms and shot himself, and we're dealing with that now," Green Township Police Chief Bart West told reporters. The youth's name has not been released, given his age, and his parents have asked for privacy regarding their son's situation and healing.
After he attempted to shoot himself, students called 911 for help.
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"There's a guy with a gun," one student caller said. "We just need police here." That student was in a nearby locked room; the school was placed on lockdown until police arrived and dealt with the situation, reassuring students that they were safe.
"We're huddled in a corner," another student caller to 911 explained.
Students were later gathered in the school gym and grief counselors brought in to help them deal with their emotions surrounding the morning's events. Officials told students and their families that school would resume on Tuesday morning and would open with a prayer service.
Hospital spokeswoman Dina Maria Lara released a statement on behalf of the boy's family, thanking the public for their prayers and support but asked for privacy, "so that we can do what we need to for our son and family."
While the Catholic high school tries to resume its normal activities, authorities will be investigating how the student was able to bring a gun into the building.
Green Township Police Chief Bart West described the weapon as a semi-automatic handgun and said that officials "did an excellent job" in responding to Monday's situation.
"We just ask that you pray for him and his family," Greg Tankersley, La Salle's director of community development, told the press. "It's a tragic situation for this young man. He's fighting for his life."
School resumed this morning with a special prayer service. Grief counselors will be on campus throughout the day for anyone who needs to talk.
Watch coverage of the incident here:
