The shootings prompted an evacuation of the high school and other schools were put on lockdown.
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During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, authorities said a 14-year-old female freshman student, whose name hasn’t been released, turned the gun on herself after shooting another student, possibly a 16-year-old student, in the lower extremities.
The wounded student was able to run outside, seeking help, with injuries that are not considered life threatening.
Additionally, one officer was shot in an “accidental discharge” between Homeland Security and the US Marshals, according to Dodson. Previous reports that two shooters were on the loose were apparantley inaccurate, as was the report that the shooting happened in the campus band hall.
The school, which has about 280 students, was first placed on lockdown before being evacuated by the police. The city of Alpine is about 200 miles southeast of El Paso near the Texas-Mexico Border.
Yet to be necessarily understood if what led to the shooting, and whether the shot female student had been intentionally targeted and if so, why?
A third person, identified only as a female, was also shot in the restroom at the school by what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. “We are still in shock for the most part”.
Police also said they were investigating bomb threats sent to the town’s hospital and the nearby Sul Ross State University shortly after the shooting, but both threats were thought to be hoaxes. An officer was also injured by friendly fire while responding to the shooting.
No clear motive has been released as of yet as authorities are in the early stages of their investigation.
“I wish to extend prayers and sympathy to any victims’ families and their loved ones who have been affected by this senseless act of violence”, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement.
“That’s ridiculous for someone to call in something like this when we’ve got this situation going on”, Dodson said.
In a confounding twist to the day’s events, Dodson said a separate bomb threat was found left on the door of a room at the Marathon Motel – located in the next small town east of Alpine about 30 minutes away. The sheriff says the victim “will be fine”.
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Authorities said threats were phoned in to an Alpine hospital and to Sul Ross State University, which is about a mile from the high school.
