An adult was wounded in a reported shooting at an elementary school in Waynesboro, Virginia, on Wednesday, although no children were injured, according to an official who attended the scene.
Westwood Hills Elementary School was evacuated after the incident, with all pupils, teachers and staff accounted for and safe. The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office said the situation had been contained and secured by 10.23am local time.
The injured adult was taken to hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Waynesboro city council member Jim Wood told the Associated Press. He described the shooting as an isolated, one-to-one incident and said the gunman was no longer considered a threat.
Police and federal agents, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, attended the school after receiving reports of a shooting. The ATF said the incident remained under investigation.
Students were taken to Westminster Presbyterian Church, where families were reunited. Waynesboro Public Schools asked parents and guardians not to go to the school itself, warning that emergency vehicles and buses needed clear access.
Other schools in the city were placed under lockdown as a precaution while the response was under way. The lockdown was lifted by 12.30pm, with the school district saying the remaining schools would dismiss as scheduled.
Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger said she was monitoring the emergency and thanked first responders.
“My heart is with these young students, their parents and families, and the teachers and staff at the school,” she said. “Thank you to the first responders who are assisting at the scene.”
