Shocked students at Lecanto High School in Florida witnessed a troubled classmate shot himself on Tuesday morning during their English class.
According to the New York Daily News, the 15-year-old freshman took out a 9-mm handgun and shot himself once on the head. About 20 of his classmates witnessed the incident at around 10:30 a.m., Citrus County Sheriff Jeffrey Dawsy disclosed in a press conference.
Fortunately, the boy survived and is in a hospital in the Tampa area. Dawsy says that the troubled teen is alert and responsive but still in critical condition. "This is an individual in great despair. I don't understand how at the age of 15 you could be so depressed," comments Dawsy.
After the shooting, authorities locked down the school and later dismissed the students early. Deputies initially rushed to the campus, while Sam Himmel, Citrus County superintendent of schools, informed parents by phone of the incident. The parents rushed to pick up their kids. Because of the incident, at least one mother said she plans to home school her child instead.
The horrified classmates who witnessed the shooting were isolated and received treatment for trauma from counselors, Himmel said, WFLA News reports. Response to the shooting was swift, which helped in keeping the boy alive, because the student's teacher had a panic button that she pushed, making a 911 call unnecessary.
WFLA said there was no previous indication of the teen's problem that led to his suicide attempt. Investigators are going through the boy's mobile phone to search for a clue why he shot himself.