West Liberty-Salem school staff and students reacted quickly and decisively Friday morning averting what authorities say could have been a much worse tragedy.
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LOGAN COLE |
Unfortunately, one student, Logan Cole, 16, was shot several times.
Logan is in critical but stable condition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, school Superintendent Kraig Hissong reported.
“His family is encouraged by his condition at this time,” he said during a Friday afternoon press conference in Champaign County Sheriff Matthew Melvin’s office in Urbana.
Mr. Hissong, Sheriff Melvin and Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi all praised the actions of students and staff when the shooting started at 7:35 a.m. Friday.
Using ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training, most students and staff barricaded themselves in rooms and evacuated through windows where possible.
But there were staff members — including a janitor — who chose to attack the threat. They tackled and subdued a shotgun-wielding 17-year-old in a high school wing hallway, holding him down for law officers.
“When the first officer arrived on the scene, the school staff had neutralized the threat and had the suspect pinned on the floor,” Sheriff Melvin said.
West Liberty Police Chief Shane Oelker said a a village officers was first to arrive and school staff quickly directed him to the scene.
“He just had to handcuff and secure the suspect,” the chief said.
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ELY SERNA |
Prosecutor Talebi declined to name the suspect nor discuss the shooter’s actions inside the school. While authorities have not publicly identified the shooter, multiple sources have told Examiner reporters it is student Ely Serna, a wrestler and honor roll student.
However, Logan was a random target, Sheriff Melvin said, and he believes there would have been more victims had the staff failed to act.
Mr. Talebi agreed, saying, “We are fortunate. It could’ve been much worse if not for the actions of the staff and students.”
Mr. Hissong said Logan is “a really good kid and a great student. Our hearts go out with the family as they struggle through this.”
As for the shooter, Mr. Hissong said there was nothing to indicate any major issues with him such as significant disciplinary problems.
The superintendent, like most everyone, wants to know the reason for the shooting. But that will take time, he noted.
Mr. Talebi said his office will be working with investigators over the weekend to determine what charges are appropriate. Part of his office review will be whether or not to ask for the suspect’s bind over to adult courts.
A detention hearing is set for 9 a.m. Monday in the Champaign County Juvenile Court. The suspect is currently lodged in the Marysville Juvenile Detention Center on a delinquency charge of felonious assault.
More charges are possible, Mr. Talebi said.
Sheriff Melvin’s office has been assisted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the FBI, sheriff’s offices from Logan, Clark, Shelby and Union counties, and Chief Oelker’s department.
Chief Oelker said the Bellefontaine Police Department sent officers to the village to help in the aftermath.
Mr. Hissong said school staff have yet to decide how they will resume school.
Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi speaks during a press conference Friday afternoon in Urbana, while West Liberty-Salem Superintendent Kraig Hissong, left, and Champaign County Sheriff Matthew Melvin look on. (EXAMINER PHOTO | JOEL E. MAST)
First, authorities will have to wrap up their work at the school, but he hopes to begin classes as soon as possible.
He will use the district’s call system and webpage to update parents.
Any resumption of school will require the presence of counseling services for students and staff, he said.
He apologized for taking 2 1/2 hours to release children to parents.
“I’m sure it seemed like forever for those parents waiting to see and hold their children,” Mr. Hissong said. “To us, it went really quick‚” as they were busy assisting law enforcement and organizing students and staff. Students were released to parents in Lions Park on the east side of West Liberty.
The investigation continues and could go on for some time, Sheriff Melvin and Mr. Talebi said.
BCI was assisting with a search of the shooter’s 3909 Sinkhole Road residence and with collection of information from the cyber and cellular communication worlds, all done under appropriately filed search warrants.
Mr. Talebi said the suspect has yet to be interviewed by his office.
A photo posted on Facebook shows a door damaged by gunfire during Friday’s shooting incident inside West Liberty-Salem High School.