SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — One Seminole High School student was shot three times on campus Wednesday afternoon in "an isolated incident," according to the Sanford Police Department and school district officials.
Officials said the suspect, who is a 16-year-old student at the school, is in custody and the 'Code Red Lockdown' imposed at the school was lifted.
According to a police department release, school resource officers were notified of a weapon on campus just before 12 p.m. Moments later they were informed by students of possible gunshots coming from a building on campus.
A school resource officer was able to locate the victim near the Tomahawk Building. The student was transported to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition.
Parents were notified of the incident shortly after by the school district. In the statement, district officials acknowleged a shooting occurred but that students were safe and the threat was no longer ongoing.
The school remained on lockdown for most of the day as police officers investigated the incident. The school's early dismissal was also delayed due to the shooting.
Seminole High School parent Deshawn Smith he said he was keeping his 15-year-old daughter home from school for now.
“I jumped out of my sleep, started getting ready, got prepared to run up here,” said Smith.
“The teachers had locked them in the class, they locked down the school that was it. Had the kids in the dark from what I know,”
“They need to upgrade the school, metal detectors, something, something that’s keeping the children safe by knowing who’s coming into the school with what,”
“After this incident like that? There’s no point in sitting there being involved with the school, they need to upgrade their safety,”
Natalia Ortiz lives down the street from the high school and has a daughter in a nearby elementary school that went into lockdown as well.
“I am happy they went on lockdown, to keep everything nice and safe,”
“The fact that it happened at a school is worrying but it’s supposed to be a safe place for everyone,” said Ortiz.