Wisconsin High School Student Shot After Pulling Out Gun In Class, Pointing It At Police Officers

A 17-year-old Milwaukee-area high school student who pulled out a handgun in a classroom is reportedly in critical condition Monday after he was shot by a school resource officer when he didn't comply with officers' demands. No other person was injured in the incident and the student is in police custody.

The shooting occurred at about 10 a.m. at Waukesha South High School in Waukesha, Wisconsin. A resource officer for the school quickly responded with a gun drawn and ordered the male student to drop the gun. When the student refused to drop the gun and pointed it at officers, the officer shot the student as other classmates fled.

Local police and county sheriff's deputies had been at the scene to contain the situation.

"The suspect would not remove his hands from his pockets and continued to ignore officers' commands," Waukesha Police Chief Russell Jack said at a press conference. "The suspect removed his handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the officers. An officer was forced to discharge his firearm, striking the suspect."

The gunfight ended after the student was wounded.

The school was quickly placed on lockdown, according to emails sent by district officials to school parents. Neighboring Whittier Elementary School was also placed on lockdown before it was lifted around 11 a.m. Students at Waukesha South High were then let out around 11:15 a.m. as police arrived.

“They were right next to my classroom so we all went into shock even my teacher hid with us,” one student told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an email. “We stayed down for like 20 minutes and the actual lockdown sound went out. Our police officer went on the speaker and said to stay on hold and we have been in the classroom ever since.”

The wounded student was reportedly seen being rushed out of the school on a stretcher and was said to be “conscious, alert, and breathing.” A fire commander at the scene told reporters the student had suffered minor wounds and would be treated at a nearby hospital.

The City of Greenfield Police Department and Milwaukee Area Investigative Team have begun an investigation into the incident while the student remains in police custody. The shooting is considered an isolated incident.