Global Courant 2023-05-09 05:15:00
A Las Vegas high school staff member was shot on school grounds Monday afternoon, prompting officials to lock down three schools in the area, according to reports.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a shooting at Ed Von Tobel Middle School just after 12:30 a.m. Monday, after an adult male staff member was hit by gunfire, Las Vegas FOX 5 reported.
The staff member was taken to the University Medical Center and is in stable condition.
Police stand outside Von Tobel Middle School during a lockdown following a report of a shooting on Monday, May 8, 2023 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
School principal Leonardo Amador notified student families of the closure, saying, “The safety of our students is the number one priority at Von Tobel Middle School.
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“The school is under strict lockdown due to a police investigation,” Amador added. “Students are safe in their classrooms. We will provide additional updates as information becomes available.”
In a second message to school families, the principal said an adult on campus was hit by gunfire outside the building and no students were injured in the incident.
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He also said that the police did not believe there was a threat to the campus, but that the school would remain closed so that the police could continue their investigation.
The three schools – the high school and two nearby elementary schools – were eventually evacuated by police and the district coordinated a controlled release of the students.
Although the school was evacuated, the suspect was still missing, according to the police.
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FOX 5 said a brief media conference was held at 2:20 p.m., and the chief of police said officers had set up a perimeter. Police also confirmed that the students were safe and that it was not an active shooting, but an isolated incident.
The Clark County Education Association (CCEA) issued a statement about the incident.
“We are deeply saddened by this news, but unfortunately we are not surprised,” the statement read in part. “The lack of safety in our schools is nothing short of a crisis, and with hundreds of deadly weapons already seized on (Clark County School District) campuses this school year, CCEA has said loud and clear that we believe this situation is a school shooting was waiting to happen.”
The association continued its statement, saying it had spoken out about the governor and state lawmakers tackling violence in schools with legislation.
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There are currently two pieces of legislation pending in the Senate aimed at reducing school violence. When the two proposed laws were before the General Assembly, they passed with bipartisan support.
“We are urging the swift approval of these bills so that we can finally ensure that every bus, classroom and campus in CCSD is safe for both our students and staff,” the association’s statement said.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.