A student shot a teacher Monday morning at a Texas high school before fatally shooting himself, law enforcement said.
The teacher at Hill Country College Preparatory High School was hospitalized, and the student, a 15-year-old boy, died at the scene, the Comal County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
“It looks as though the student turned the gun on himself and shot himself,” Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds said during an afternoon news conference.
The condition of the teacher, who wasn’t identified, was unavailable, and spokespeople for area emergency rooms did not immediately respond to requests for information.
The relationship between the teenager and the teacher – including whether the boy was a current student of the educator’s – is under investigation, Reynolds said.
Reynolds told parents of the estimated 250 students at the school, just outside the city of Belverde and about 27 miles north of San Antonio, that the situation was quickly contained.
“School was placed on lockdown right away to protect everyone on the campus, and the students were safely transported to Bulverde Middle School and reunited with their families,” he said.
The suspected shooter’s parents were among those in the reunification line, the sheriff said, and investigators will try to determine how the boy got his hands on a firearm.
Principal Julie Wiley said in a statement that the school was placed on lockdown at 8:34 a.m. following a report of gunfire. Students interviewed by NBC affiliate WOAI of San Antonio reported hearing multiple gunshots.
At 9:38 a.m., the district said the school was secure and students would be taken to Bulverde Middle School to be picked up by their parents.
The high school will be closed Tuesday, Wiley said, and counselors will be made available to students and families at a local library.
“Our hearts are with everyone impacted, especially that teacher, their family, and our school community,” she said.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
