ROCKVILLE, MD — Authorities reported that one student is in custody and another has been hospitalized following a shooting incident at Thomas S. Wootton High School on Monday.
Montgomery County Police and City of Rockville officers responded to the school around 2:15 p.m. after receiving reports of gunfire, prompting a lockdown of the facility.
According to a statement from the Montgomery County Police Department, one student was discovered in a hallway with a single gunshot wound. The alleged shooter, also a student, was apprehended in the vicinity of the school.
The injured student is currently in stable condition, as reported by the police.
Details regarding the identities of the students involved have not been disclosed by authorities. Police confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
Based on radio communications from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, Bethesda Today reported that the victim is a male student.
Students began to be released from the school around 4:40 p.m., with all of them directed to Robert Frost Middle School at 9201 Scott Drive for reunification with their parents and guardians.
In an interview with Fox 5, Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton emphasized that the lockdown continued past 4 p.m. as Montgomery County Public School officials worked to ensure safety.
“The first priority is safety,” she stated.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich acknowledged the incident in a statement, noting that he was in contact with Montgomery County Public Schools, the City of Rockville, and the police department.
“Our thoughts are with the Wootton students, faculty, and their families during this challenging time,” he remarked. “Such incidents are alarming for everyone involved.”
Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González commented that the event highlights the urgent need to address gun violence in the community, asserting that “guns have no place in our schools.”
Parents interviewed by Fox 5 expressed their frustrations, stating that the situation was particularly stressful due to the school’s policy restricting cellphone use during instructional time.
All roads leading to the school have been closed.
Students who take the bus will follow their usual routes home. Officials advised parents of bus riders not to come to the high school, as posted on Facebook.
