US: 3 students killed, several injured in Michigan school shooting
A deadly shooting occurred at a high school in the US state of Michigan claiming the lives of three students and injuring several others. Those who died were a 16-year-old boy and two girls aged 14 and 17. The suspect, a fellow student at the school, has been arrested by the police and is under investigation. Here are more details on this.
Why does it matter?
The attack at Oxford High School on Tuesday adds to a lengthy list of school shootings across the United States in recent years. It will likely renew calls from politicians and others to tighten gun laws in the country. While there was a drop in school shootings last year during coronavirus-induced lockdowns, such incidents have rebounded with 138 reported in 2021 so far.
Victims include a football player, two others
The victims have been identified as Tate Myre, 16 years old; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Hana St. Juliana, 14. Myre, a football player who had recently won an all-region award, died in a patrol vehicle as officials tried to rush him to a hospital. Officials said it is not known whether the victims were targeted or randomly attacked.
8 others were wounded in the attack
Eight other people were shot during the attack. Four of them are in critical condition and undergoing treatment while three are said to be stable. A teacher, the only adult to be injured in the incident, has since been discharged from the hospital. All schools in the area will be shut for the rest of the week, officials said.
Scenes from the school
Gun used in attack bought by suspect's father
Police had received the first of over a hundred emergency calls at 12:51 pm (local time). Within five minutes, the suspect was apprehended. He had executed the attack using a semi-automatic handgun which still carried seven rounds of ammunition at the time of the arrest. Officials said the weapon was purchased by the suspect's father on Friday, just four days before the shooting.
Suspect is not cooperating, officials say
Officials said the suspect was not cooperating as he had been told by his parents not to talk to the police. "The person that's got the most insight and the motive is not talking," Oakland County Sheriff, Mike Bouchard, told reporters.
'No one should be afraid to go to school'
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer described gun violence as a "public health crisis" and called for the need to address such attacks. "No one should be afraid to go to school, work, a house of worship, or even their own home. This is a time for us to come together and help children feel safe at school," she said at a press conference on Tuesday.
'Unimaginable grief': President Biden offers condolences
US President Joe Biden spoke of the shooting during a visit to Minneapolis, Minnesota and offered condolences to the grieving families. "My heart goes out to the families enduring the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one," he said.
