NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A 17-year-old Maury High student was taken to the hospital after he accidentally discharged a handgun and shot himself in the hand while in class.
Norfolk Schools spokesperson Barbara Hunter initially said the male student was holding one or two rounds of ammunition in his hands when he lit them on fire, causing them to explode.
Around 6 p.m., police released information indicating he had not lit ammunition on fire, but was actually in possession of a handgun that discharged.
Police said the student was taken to Children’s Hospital for The King’s Daughters for treatment. His injuries are not considered life-threatening. No other students were harmed.
Charges are pending against the injured student.
The incident happened around 12:15 p.m. Friday, police said. The school was then placed on lockdown, which was lifted by 3 p.m.
Student reaction
It was the Friday none of the Maury students was expecting. 10th-grader Taylor Stewart said she was in class when she heard a bang.
“All I heard was this big sound,” Stewart said. “I looked up and I didn’t see anything, so I thought it was a fire cracker.”
Just then Stewart saw her teacher run across the room.
“She said ‘He’s bleeding’ and all I saw was blood just dripping down on the floor,” Stewart added. “The boy just sat there and he was just shocked. He didn’t scream. He didn’t do none of that.”
Stewart says the blood was coming from the boy’s hand. She didn’t know what to think.
“It was petrifying, because I’ve never been in that situation,” Stewart said.
Shortly after that, the school went into lockdown. Police rushed to the scene in search of a potential gun.
A photo taken by a Maury student inside a classroom showed two Norfolk police officers with long guns.
Parent reaction
Parents were also alarmed by the incident.
“My first reaction is to run to the school and to find my kid and hopefully she is okay,” parent Ravi Prasad said.
School administrators sent a voicemail to parents and guardians Friday regarding the incident when it was in its early stages. In the voicemail, administrators said police were on scene of the incident which possibly involved a weapon.
Around 3 p.m., Hunter said the school was expected to dismiss students shortly.
Parents and guardians who have bus riders should expect delays in the students’ arrival home.
As of 5 p.m., police were still on scene investigating the incident.
Check back for updates on this breaking news.
