UTAH — A 15-year-old boy fired a shotgun inside a northern Utah school Thursday morning before being apprehended by his own parents.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:13 a.m. in a 9th grade earth science class at Mueller Park Junior High School in Bountiful.
The class had just begun when the student reportedly entered the classroom wearing a large black trench-style coat, pointed the shotgun at the ceiling and fired, Bountiful Police Chief Tom Ross said during a press conference Thursday afternoon.
Moments after firing the round, the alleged shooter’s parents arrived and disarmed the boy, who was carrying both a 12-gauge shotgun and a 9mm handgun, Ross said.
The boy’s father and mother had gone to the school that morning because they were concerned about their 9th-grade son’s behavior and had noticed the weapons were missing from their home, Ross said. They were inside the school looking for their son when they heard the gunshot.
After the parents disarmed and detained their son, the boy was subsequently arrested by a Bountiful Police officer who was nearby when he heard the 911 report of an “active shooter.”
No one was injured during the incident, police reported.
The boy was booked into a juvenile detention facility in Farmington Thursday on several charges. Because he is a juvenile, his name is not being released at this time.
It was unclear why the teen brought the firearms to school or what his intentions were, police said, adding that they did not know if the gun was fired deliberately, or if it went off accidentally.
Because the call was dispatched as an “active shooter” situation, more than 100 officers from law enforcement agencies across Davis County responded to the school, Ross said. The school was placed on lockdown as police went room-by-room clearing the school, per protocol.
During Thursday’s press conference, Ross said when he first the heard report of shots being fired in a school, he feared the worst, and that he was grateful for both the law enforcement response and for the boy’s parents for quickly bringing the situation to a resolution before anyone was hurt.
Ross said they are still investigating the incident to try and determine a motive.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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More funding for mental health.
Good job by the parents. their son has been incarcerated which is the right place for him at this point. now find out what set him off !
Yet another profound statement. Pure genius.
Wow, can you imagine being those parents? Having a suspicion of something so dangerous and dramatic that came true? Thank gods for proactive parents. They are true heroes as it takes a lot for a parent to not be in denial that their child could do something so wrong and dangerous.
Maybe these “awesome” parents should NOT have allowed access of firearms to a 15 yr. Old kid. They should be charged with endangerment. Not touted as heroes.
I had a shotgun when I was 10 and a rifle when I was 12. I never shot anyone until Vietnam. Good old uncle Sam gave me that rifle.