Barbour County Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Woofter praised the teacher for maintaining control when classes were about to change.
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Woofter says the teacher talked the boy into keeping the next group of students from entering the class. He didn’t name the teacher.
Students who opened the door to enter for the next class were asked to leave. They then went across the hall to tell another teacher, who alerted school officials. “Their ability to keep calm in this situation made it much easier for officers to successfully perform their duties, which resulted in positive conclusion to an incident which easily could have developed into a tragedy”, the State Police news release said. No injuries have been reported.
Philippi is about 100 miles East of Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Negotiators were able to convince the boy, who was not named by the authorities, to release the teacher and his 27 peers, and later to drop the weapon and surrender. Poling said that because the case involves a juvenile, the court process would be closed. Police have not identified the student.
A 14-year-old boy was taken into custody after he held his teacher and “numerous” students hostage at Philip Barbour High School in West Virginia.
Mr Woofter said Philippi Police Chief Jeff Walters negotiated the release of the students from the classroom and eventually got the suspect to surrender a few hours after it began.
Investigators are still trying to pin down what led the 14-year-old – who was sent to a local hospital for evaluation after the incident – to do what he did.
According to its website, Philip Barbour High School is located in Philippi, West Virgina. Passing minutes appeared like hours earlier than authorities let the scholars head residence.
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Saltis advised The Related Press by phone that his daughter attends the varsity.
