Police: 2 students shot inside Los Angeles middle school
Female student opens fire inside a classroom at the Salvador Castro Middle School, leaving two other students wounded, including one in critical condition.
A young female student opened fire inside a classroom at a Los Angeles middle school Thursday, leaving two other students wounded — including one in critical condition, police said.
The shooting suspect — who police confirmed is 12 years old — allegedly opened fire just before 9 a.m. inside Salvador B. Castro Middle School and was taken into custody. The student was not immediately identified, and her motive remains unclear.
Three other people — ages 11, 12 and 30 — suffered minor cuts and scrapes.
Two 15-year-old students, identified as a male and a female, suffered gunshot wounds. The teenage boy, who was shot in the head, was said to be in critical but stable condition.
The girl suffered a gunshot wound to the wrist and was taken to the hospital in fair condition, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Gunfire erupted during first period inside a sixth grade classroom in the middle school, which is on the same California campus as Belmont High School, said Sgt. Edward Bernal of the Los Angeles Unified School District Police Department.
A female student was taken into custody after shots were fired inside a Los Angeles middle school classroom. (KTTV)
"We do not know yet how a young person ended up having the ability to have access to a firearm and bring it on campus," said Steve Zipperman, chief of the Los Angeles Unified School District police force.
A weapon was recovered at the scene.
Gloria Echeverria was waiting outside a police tape line that prevented people from approaching the school, waiting for news about her 13-year-old son.
"I'm just hoping it has nothing to do with him," she said. "I'm just scared for all the kids — school is supposed to be a safe place for them, and apparently it's not."
Two 15-year-old students, a male and female, were wounded in the shooting, the LAFD reported. (KTTV)
Police said the situation was under control and there were no outstanding suspects in the incident. School officials said "a normal school day will continue" despite the lockdown.
"We will attend to the needs of these students who witnessed this very carefully, with the understanding this is very traumatic," Zipperman said.
More than 360 students are enrolled in the Salvador B. Castro Middle School. Los Angeles police said random weapon checks are conducted on the campus, located in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Fox News' Shira Bush and The Associated Press contributed to this report.