A 16-year-old boy is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a bond hearing related to the recent shooting incident at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland.
The teenager faces several serious charges, including attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, and possession of a dangerous weapon on school grounds.
At a news conference held on Tuesday, Rockville Police Chief Jason West reported that the teen had pointed a firearm at a 15-year-old girl earlier that day before shooting a 16-year-old classmate.
According to Chief West, the suspect and the victim were acquainted, but the reasons behind the shooting are still being thoroughly investigated.
West later confirmed that the injured student is in stable condition.
“In this situation, the second individual did not sustain any injuries,” West stated. “However, our investigation uncovered that the suspect had previously aimed a gun at that individual earlier in the day, prior to the actual shooting incident.”
The Rockville City Police Department announced in a press release that the teenager has been charged as an adult.
Montgomery County Police Officers were dispatched to the high school around 2:15 p.m. on Monday in response to reports of gunfire inside the facility.
A student was subsequently discovered with gunshot wounds in a hallway and was promptly transported to a hospital.
Authorities reported that they recovered the firearm—a Polymer80 9 mm handgun—believed to have been used in the incident. Chief West described this type of weapon as a “ghost gun,” noting that it was located late on Monday evening, away from the school premises.
“We understand that firearms of this nature are notoriously difficult to trace, if not impossible,” West remarked.
“A significant part of our investigation will involve determining the origins of this firearm, how the student acquired it, and how it ended up in the school.”
