Police rushed to Washington Middle School after a 13-year-old student opened fire, leaving at least one student dead.
The Albuquerque Police Department responded to a shooting, which occurred around 12:45 pm on Friday.
Officers were seen putting a student into handcuffs outside the campus. According to reports, both the alleged gunman and the victim were 13 years old.
Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said: “The student who fired the weapon is on our custody right now, pending an investigation. The student who was shot has unfortunately passed away.”
Students were all ‘made safe quickly’ by staff. Hartsock said they do not believe there are any other victims or shooters.
In a statement on Twitter, the department said: “APD is investigating a shooting on Washington Middle School property. One victim has been transported to the hospital. A suspect is in custody, and there is no further threat to the public. Updates to follow.”
Albuquerque Public Schools also said in a statement that the school had been instructed to “shelter in place due to police activity in the area.”
The district later said that the campus was secure.
“Due to the ongoing investigation, we are asking that parents pick up their children as soon as they can,” the school district wrote on Twitter.
Scott Elder, the superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools, called the incident a “terrible day for APS, a terrible day for this community.
“I send out my thoughts and prayers to all of our students – to all of our families that are impacted by this horrible event.”
He also said that the school personnel “showed tremendous courage” while keeping students calm and safe.
A resident in the area had recalled hearing six gunshots before watching students run back to the school.
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