2 Students, 1 Teacher Injured in South Carolina School Shooting

A 14-year-old active shooter opened fire at Townville Elementary School but was taken down by an unarmed firefighter.

TOWNVILLE, S.C. – Police responded to a school shooting at Townville Elementary School, located in an incorporated community in northwest South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon.

Two six-year-old students and one teacher were taken to the hospital with injuries. One male student was shot in the leg, while another male student was hit in the foot. The female teacher was shot in the shoulder, according to the Washington Post.

Police say the shooting took place on the playground and that the suspect never entered the school building. An unarmed firefighter, Jamie Brock, took the suspect down and held him until police officers arrived and took the teenager into custody.

Authorities are also investigating a homicide in a home only two miles away from the school that is believed to be related to the shooting. The victim found dead in the home was the shooter’s father, 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne, reports CNN.

A family friend of the 14-year-old suspect tells CBS News that the boy was homeschooled within the past two years because he had been suspended for bringing a weapon to his middle school. Despite this, it doesn’t appear the gunman knew his victims.


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At the request of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the neighboring Oconee County Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to respond to the situation at the school around 1:44 p.m. The campus had conducted several active shooter drills over the past several years.

When the situation was under control, parents were asked to pick up their children at a nearby church. When some arrived, they reported not knowing what was happening besides seeing first responders and police around the building.

“I was really scared and thought something bad had happened to my son,” says Kelli Collins, whose son is in preschool at Townville Elementary. “The feeling was pretty indescribable. This is his first year of school.”

The school released a statement praising school personnel, first responders, teachers, parents and children for their appropriate response to the shooting:

Today, Becky (the 911 operator) was calm when I was not. Mr. Brock subduing the shooter was nothing short of a blessing. The many police officers (our FRIENDS in blue) amazed us with their professionalism, precision, and care. Our EMS response team and Fire Dept (more FRIENDS) provided medical care and treatment to our two students and teacher with one focus: best care for the patients.

Nurse Langdale and Mrs. Nolte were with our most critically injured student until EMS took over. They were angels. Pastor Kyle and Nette Caudell was there to comfort and reassure children. Bus drivers transported us to Oakdale Baptist to reunite parents and their children. Parents and families, although anxious and worried, followed directions to ensure a safe reunification at Oakdale.

Teachers were taking care of our children- keeping our children as safe as possible. Teachers were with our children. And our children…our children…they were nothing less than astounding. They did as they were told and that was key to keeping them safe and allowing law enforcement to assess situation and clear the building. Our district superintendent, our State Superintendent of Education, district staff, and school board members came immediately to provide support on-site. Pastor Blizzard opened the church doors for a prayer meeting tonight for the entire community.

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