An armed student seized 24 hostages at the high school in Marinette, Wis., on Monday
CBC News - World - Hostage-taker shoots self at Wisconsin school
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A student armed with a handgun held nearly two dozen students and a teacher hostage in the Marinette, Wis., high school for about five hours before shooting himself when police broke into the classroom, authorities said Monday.
No other injuries were reported.
Officers who were outside the Marinette High School classroom said they heard three gunshots shortly after 8 p.m. and broke through the door, said police Chief Jeff Skorik. The 15-year-old male gunman then shot himself.
Five of the 23 students who had been taken hostage about 3 p.m. had been released about 20 minutes before police entered the classroom because they told the gunman they had to use the bathroom, Skorik said.
The other 18 students and the female teacher, who had acted as a mediator between the hostage-taker and authorities, were released unharmed once officers were inside.
Skorik said the gunman had refused to communicate with officials during the standoff, but allowed the teacher to speak with authorities by phone.
Motivation unknown
He said authorities have "no idea as far as motivations at this point."
Marinette County emergency management director Eric Burmeister said a high school administrator called authorities after 3 p.m. CT to say an armed student had burst into a classroom.
Choral teacher Bonita Weydt said she was talking with a teacher in another classroom after school, which lets out about 3:10 p.m., when principal Corry Lambie came in.
"I said, 'Corry, what's going on?' and he said, 'Get out of the building,'" Weydt said.
Burmeister said parents were asked to gather at the county courthouse.
Marinette is about 80 kilometres north of Green Bay and sits on the border with Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The high school has an annual enrolment of approximately 800 students, according to its website.
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No other injuries were reported.
Officers who were outside the Marinette High School classroom said they heard three gunshots shortly after 8 p.m. and broke through the door, said police Chief Jeff Skorik. The 15-year-old male gunman then shot himself.
Five of the 23 students who had been taken hostage about 3 p.m. had been released about 20 minutes before police entered the classroom because they told the gunman they had to use the bathroom, Skorik said.
The other 18 students and the female teacher, who had acted as a mediator between the hostage-taker and authorities, were released unharmed once officers were inside.
Skorik said the gunman had refused to communicate with officials during the standoff, but allowed the teacher to speak with authorities by phone.
Motivation unknown
He said authorities have "no idea as far as motivations at this point."
Marinette County emergency management director Eric Burmeister said a high school administrator called authorities after 3 p.m. CT to say an armed student had burst into a classroom.
Choral teacher Bonita Weydt said she was talking with a teacher in another classroom after school, which lets out about 3:10 p.m., when principal Corry Lambie came in.
"I said, 'Corry, what's going on?' and he said, 'Get out of the building,'" Weydt said.
Burmeister said parents were asked to gather at the county courthouse.
Marinette is about 80 kilometres north of Green Bay and sits on the border with Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The high school has an annual enrolment of approximately 800 students, according to its website.
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