Sixth Grade Girl Takes Gun To School, Shoots Three Including Two Students

A sixth-grade girl shot and wounded two students and staff after she opened fire at a middle school in the US state of Idaho on Thursday, May 6.

The unnamed pupil, who is reported to be 11 or 12 years old, brought a gun to the Rigby Middle School and opened fire. The bullet struck two students and a member of staff at the school.

The girl "retrieved a handgun from her backpack, fired multiple rounds inside of the school and out," said Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson.

Krista Gneiting, a teacher at the school, managed to grab the gun from the child’s hands. She detained the girl until police arrived.

All victims suffered serious gunshot injuries to their arms and legs. Emergency services responded to the school and rushed the victims to a nearby hospital.

Their current condition is unknown, however, doctors say they are expected to survive.

"The fact that the injuries are as insignificant as they are right now - not saying that they aren't bad but they could be so much worse - we feel absolutely blessed," Dr. Michael Lemon, trauma medical director for Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center said during a press conference.

"With the assistance of other high schools, we have actually run mock-shooting, mass-casualty situations and so our trauma system was prepared for this when it came on," he said.

Yandel Rodriguez, a student at the school, told the Associated Press that he heard loud noises followed by screaming.

"Me and my classmate were just in class with our teacher — we were doing work — and then all of a sudden, there was a loud noise and then there were two more loud noises," Yandel said.

"Then there was screaming. Our teacher went to check it out, and he found blood," he added.

Chad Martin, the local school superintendent, described the incident as a "nightmare".

"Today we had the worst nightmare a school district could encounter," he said. "We prepare for it but you're never truly prepared."

The motive behind the shooting is not yet clear. No details are currently available as to how the child acquired the gun.

The FBI and local law enforcement are investigating the incident.