Knoxville school shooting: One killed and another detained as gunfire left police officer wounded
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One man was killed and a police officer injured at a Tennessee high school shooting on Monday afternoon.
Knoxville police confirmed that the man reportedly armed was killed in a shootout at Austin-East Magnet High School around 3.15 pm local time.
“Upon approach of the subject, shots were fired,” police said in a statement.
One man was pronounced dead at the scene while another was detained for questioning, the statement said. A video circulating online appeared to show an individual in handcuffs being led away from the school.
Police said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would lead the probe into the shooting, while the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed special agents from their Nashville office responded to assist law enforcement.
The police officer was taken to UT Medical Centre with non-life-threatening injuries, and not other gunshot wounds were reported.
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said she visited the officer, who was “in good spirits” and said he’d rather it be him who was shot than someone else.
The school has a recent history of gun violence among its current and former students.
Janaria Muhammad, 15, Justin Taylor, 15, and Stanley Freeman Jr, 16, were students at the school when killed in shootings that occurred away various locations away from the campus in recent months. Jamarion Gillett, 15, previously attended the school in the fall of 2020 before he was killed in a separate incident on 9 March.
This latest incident follows recent mass shootings Colorado, Atlanta and South Carolina that have led to a push by the Biden administration for gun control reforms.
Thus far there have been 130 mass shootings since the start of 2021, more than during the same period in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Welcome to the live blog
Welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of a mass shooting at a high school in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Multiple gunshot victims have been reported at Austin-East Magnet High School, including a police officer responding to the scene.
Law enforcement says the situation is no longer considered “active.”
Police establish reunification site behind school
Police in Knoxville issued a tweet saying they have established a reunification site at a baseball field behind Austin-East Magnet High School in the wake of a shooting that left multiple people, including a police officer, injured.
Police said in the tweet that the situation was still active, contradicting earlier information claiming that she situation was no longer active.
Students have been released to their families
Knoxville School Superintendent Bob Thomas said students who were not involved in the shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School have been released to their families.
He said the school officials were working to get information to families as quickly as possible.
Tennessee Governor comments on shooting
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee acknowledged the shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School in a statement, calling it a “very difficult and tragic situation.”
He made the comments as he began a briefing on education, and asked for prayers for the victims and their families.
On Thursday, Mr Lee signed a bill allowing gun owners over the age of 21 to carry firearms, open or concealed, without the need for a permit or training.
Knoxville Sheriff says “no active threat” at site of school shooting
The Knoxville County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement to local broadcaster WBLT saying there was “no active threat” at Austin-East Magnet High School following a mass shooting that left multiple people wounded, including a Knoxville Police Department officer.
Local media reports shooting suspect has been detained
A local news outlet in Knoxville, Tennessee has reported that an individual has been detained as a suspect in the shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School that left multiple people wounded.
Knox News reported that a source speaking to them on the condition of anonymity said police have detained a suspect.
The source also claimed the officer who had been shot was the school’s resource officer.
Video shows handcuffed individual being led away from Knoxville high school
A video appears to show an individual in handcuffs being led away from Austin-East Magnet High School in handcuffs in the wake of a mass shooting that left multiple people injured.
Police officer shot has “non-life-threatening injuries"
Local Knoxville broadcaster WBIR 10 reported that the police officer wounded in the Austin-East High School mass shooting suffered “non-life-threatening injuries.” A source speaking with another local news outlet, Knox News, said the officer who was shot was a school resource officer.
Wounded officer “in good spirits” according to Knoxville mayor
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said she visited the officer who was shot at Austin-East Magnet High School and said he was “in good spirits.”
The officer was transported to UT Medical center.
The officer apparently said he would have rather it be him who was shot than someone else.
Local news reports a suspect has been shot and killed
According to local news outlet WBIR 10, an anonymous source told reporters that the suspect in the shooting has been shot and killed.
The suspect that was led away in handcuffs is reportedly being detained for questioning regarding the incident.
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