Classes resume day after shooting

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Classes resumed Thursday morning at Woodrow Wilson High School after police say a student walked into the school with a gun and shot several rounds into the cafeteria ceiling Wednesday afternoon.

Police have charged the 15-year-old male student, whose name will not be released as he's under the age of 18. The student has been charged with discharging a firearm in an occupied school, brandishing a firearm on school property and possession of a firearm by a person under 18.

The student was reportedly on suspension from school when he walked into the building and started shooting, school officials said. Police say no one was injured in the incident.

"He had a gun and he was smiling," said 9th grader Tevin Patterson. "He looked up in the air and shot, then he shot again and I ran with a bunch of other kids to get out of the school."

Ashley Hudson, also a freshman, said, "Everyone panicked, everyone was throwing chairs and pushing." 

One student told WAVY.com the boy with the gun walked up to the school, banged on a locked glass door and threatened to shoot the student if he didn't open the door and let him in the school. The student said he was afraid he was going to get shot, so he let the boy with the gun inside.

Detective John Doyle told WAVY.com the student with the gun first fired a shot into a wall in a hallway, then he headed for the cafeteria packed with kids eating lunch. There he fired two rounds into the ceiling.

"Me and my friend Hamilton were sitting at the lunch table," said Sophomore David Foulkes.  "After the first shot I saw the second shot. He cocked it back again and gave some girl a hug and started walking away."

Sophomore Brandon Wise said, "I told my girlfriend to get down and we ran to the back like everyone else. When we were running out I was afraid he was going to shoot me in the back."

As police officers rushed to the school, hundreds of students rushed to get outside, many of them calling their parents on cellphones as they ran out of the building. Freightened parents began showing up, trying to get to their kids and find out what was happening.

"She called me and said, 'They're shooting,'" said Mattalyn Spain whose daughter is a student at Woodrow Wilson. "She said she ran out and left all her stuff in the school."

Police said the student dropped the gun inside and ran out of the building, and was caught by a police officer and a school employee. Detectives took the student to police headquarters for questioning.

Joseph Wiggins, director of communications for the school, said the student, whose name is not being released because he is a juvenille, was suspended earlier in the week for fighting and disorderly conduct.

The student suspect is currently being held at the Tidewater Detention Home. Police say more charges may be pending.

No one was hurt in the incident. There is not word yet on any charges against the student.