Teenage gunman shoots self after releasing all hostages from Wisconsin high school

[News_Editor]

Teenage gunman shoots self after releasing all hostages from Wisconsin high school

2010-11-30 15:57:58 GMT+7 (ICT)

MARINETTE, WISCONSIN (BNO NEWS) -- An armed teenage gunman shot himself at Marinette High School in Marinette, Wisconsin on Monday evening after holding two dozen hostages for more than four hours.

Police responded to the school after a 911 call was received at 3.48 p.m. local time, stating that a 15-year-old male student had taken 23 students and a female teacher hostage inside a classroom.

Hours later, at around 7.40 p.m. local time, five students were able to escape after convincing the gunman that they needed to use the bathroom. Soon after, at 8.03 p.m. local time, law enforcement personnel stormed the building after three shots were heard.

Officials later said that the gunman was not firing at students or himself but were unable to say what he did fire at. When officers approached him, however, he turned the gun on himself.

"Remaining students and the teacher were evacuated safely," said Kathy Frank, a spokeswoman for the Marinette County Emergency Management office. "Emergency rescue personnel on stand-by treated the suspect and transported him to Bay Area Medical Center."

The condition of the young gunman, who was not immediately identified by officials, was not known as of early Tuesday morning.

Two hand guns were recovered at the scene as well as shell casings from both weapons. Students reported that the suspect had fired a weapon in the classroom before law enforcement arrived.

An explosives detection dog was brought in from the Brown County Sheriff's Department as a precaution to conduct a safety sweep of the entire building, with negative results.

Marinette Police Chief Jeffrey Skorik said investigators have interviewed the parents of the hostage-taker but said they are still unsure what his motives were.

Officials said that Marinette High School will be closed on Tuesday and arrangements are being made to provide counseling to students, families and staff members.

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