An active shooter situation has is ongoing at a school in Santa Fe, Texas, with multiple deaths reported. The Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) stated that it was responding to a shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas. Other reports indicate that at least one police officer has been shot.
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Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales has tweeted that “one is in custody” and a “second one detained,” which seems to suggest that there are two suspects in this latest school shooting. According to multiple news outlets, 8 people are confirmed dead.
One is in custody, a second one detained. An injured police officer is being treated, the extent of his injuries are unknown.
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) May 18, 2018
Santa Fe Police Chief Jeff Powell has confirmed that explosive devices have been found both inside and outside the school.
#UPDATE Possible explosive devices have been located at the school and off campus. Law enforcement is in the process of rendering them safe. School has been evacuated. Call 911 if you see any suspicious item. #HouNews #SantaFeISD
— Santa Fe ISD (@SantaFeISD) May 18, 2018
One student witness, Dustin, described seeing the shooter. “He was wearing a trench coat and big boots,” Dustin told ABC 13. “After that, I heard the fire alarm go off. Shortly after that, we heard three gunshots and no-one moved. Shortly after there were more shots. It was right by us, too.”
“I used to talk to the shooter himself and he used to not seem like he would do that,” Dustin added, admitting that he would “snap” and that “the coaches would bully him and call him names – he just didn’t have a lot of friends.”
“I believe one of the victims that he shot bullied him.”
BREAKING: ATF is responding to a school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas. pic.twitter.com/LXC6d8jTYZ
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) May 18, 2018
“There are multiple fatalities that have been confirmed, between 8 to 10 fatalities including students and staff,” Gonzales said in a press conference. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Santa Fe community.”
“At this point, we do have an active crime scene,” he added, before confirming that the shooter was a student at the school.
“To the students, families, teachers, and personnel at Santa Fe High, we’re with you in this tragic hour and we’re with you forever,” President Trump said in response to the shooting.
Santa Fe Independent School District has also confirmed the shooting, though details are sketchy at this point. “This morning an incident occurred at the high school involving an active shooter. The district has initiated a lockdown at the high school. We will send out additional information as soon as it is available,” Santa Fe ISD posted to Twitter.
“Law enforcement will continue to secure the building and initiate all emergency management protocols to release and move students to another location. All other campuses are operating under their regular schedules. At this time, students from the high school are being transported by SFISD transportation to the Alamo Gym located at 13306 Highway 6. Parents may reunite with their students at this location. The district will continue to keep you updated as information is available. Safety and communication are our top priorities.”
Student Witness Describes Shooting Suspect: "We heard 5 more bangs & a kid came out had a black trench coat off, a sawed off shotgun w/a pistol grip & something sharp on his chest & then he turned & instead of looking our way he grabbed the backpack & went back in the art room." pic.twitter.com/JPza0AjReB
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) May 18, 2018
According to the Houston Chronicle, the shots were fired at around 8:10 a.m. and the school was placed was on immediate lockdown. Joe Gamaldi with the Houston Police Officers Union tweeted to confirm that an officer had been shot.
Just spoke to my counterparts who represent the Officers from Santa Fe and let them know that the @HPOUTX is here to provide any and all assistance they may need.
Please keep the officers in your prayers as one officer is being life flighted to the hospital.
— Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) May 18, 2018
Gamaldi also noted that an officer who was injured was a “retiree” of the Houston Police Department.
Enroute to the hospital to check on condition of Santa Fe officers. One officer is confirmed HPD retiree. No name at this time.
— Joe Gamaldi (@JoeGamaldi) May 18, 2018
We are assisting @SantaFeISD with a multiple-casualty incident at Santa Fe High School. This is no longer an active shooting situation and the injured are being treated. #hounews pic.twitter.com/m7Wuauk9jk
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) May 18, 2018
We will keep you posted as more updates come in. Needless to say, do pray for those involved.
One of the students, Zach, was in a classroom just “two doors” down from where the shooting took place. “We could clearly hear the shots,” he told CBS News. “We heard probably almost 20 shots.” Zach explained how, after hearing the gunfire, a teacher had pulled the fire alarm to evacuate the rest of the school.
“My teacher ran out of the classroom and pulled the fire alarm while we were barricading the door.” Zach said that his teacher’s intention was to “get everyone out the school.”
“On the side of the shooting it happened on, there wasn’t a lot of kids. There are only like three or four classes on that section. So we knew that there was a whole other thousand on the other side of the school. We knew a fire alarm would get them safe.”
My heart goes out to Santa Fe and all of Texas today.
— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) May 18, 2018
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We will continue to update this developing story…