Shooting Reported At Moss Bluff Elementary
The incident is under control, and there is no active threat at this time.
There has been a shooting at Moss Bluff Elementary, however it's important to note that there is no active threat at this time. The situation is under control, and students are safe.
Parents and residents in the Facebook group "Citizens of Moss Bluff ~ Be Informed" have been discussing the incident since the initial reports this morning. A 1st grade student allegedly brought a gun to school, which accidentally discharged when he dropped it, injuring another student in the classroom. No other students were injured.
The injured child was operated on by trauma surgeons at Lafayette General Hospital before being moved to Pediatric ICU, where he is in critical but stable condition.
The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office has released a statement confirming that a 7-year-old student was accidentally shot. The incident was confined to the child's own classroom, and no other students were injured. Students are not in any danger at this time.
Sheriff Tony Mancuso said a student brought the gun to school in a backpack. The gun fell out and was picked up by a second student when it discharged, injuring another 7-year-old in the classroom at the time. Since the incident involves interviewing multiple young children, exact details will take time are are likely to change as the investigation continues.
The shooting is believed to have been entirely accidental, with no threats being made to any child or faculty member of the school.
No students will be held responsible for the accident, due to their ages. However, the District Attorney's Office will determine if any charges will be filed against the owner of the gun, once the investigation is complete.
The school went under lockdown when the incident occurred this morning. The lockdown has since been lifted.
The family of the 7-year-old victim released a statement Tuesday evening.
Parents and residents have responded to the shooting by taking to Twitter.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
Last updated: May 16, 2017 at 7:08pm