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A student was wounded and a suspect is in custody after a shooting Friday morning at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The student was shot in the ankle, said Kevin Christian, Marion Public Schools spokesman.
Parents were asked to go to First Baptist Church of Ocala to be reunited with their children, who will be bused to the church, according to Christian.Forest High, which was ranked as one of the best high schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, has about 2,100 students.
The shooting comes on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre and the same day as a National School Walkout against gun violence. It’s been more than two months since the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 students and teachers were killed.
UPDATE: 12:12 PM:
Reports confirm that the victim was a 17-year-old student, and the shooter is a 19-year-old non-student. The victim has non-life-threatening injuries and the shooter is in custody.
UPDATE: 11:20 AM:
Reports began to surface of a weapon at nearby West Port High School, but that school has been cleared by police and the report is false.
UPDATE 11:19 AM:
Students began posting images from inside the high school on social media as the lockdown took place.
These are pictures from inside Forest High School in Ocala this morning
Students built impressive barricades to keep out a school shooter
Barricade building is a skill these kids should not have to be good at#Ocala #foresthighschool pic.twitter.com/B0JW2ILQjt— Todd LaVogue, M.S. (@ToddLaVogue) April 20, 2018
UPDATE 11:14 AM:
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department posted the following statement on its Facebook Page:
“Right now deputies have responded to a shooting at Forest High School. Suspect is in custody, at this time we have one person injured and the are being treated by medics. We are asking the citizens to avoid the area. Parents please stand by for further direction from the school on how to pick up your children.”
