Update 02/29/16 8:30 p.m.: Madison Local Schools reports two school leaders met with the two hospitalized students, which the district says are both "in very high spirits."
Update 02/29/16 5:04 p.m.: Madison Local Schools will be closed Tuesday.
Update 02/29/16 4:00 p.m.: Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones says the suspect is 14-year-old James Austin Hancock. He is charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault, inducing panic, and making terrorist threats, all felonies. Jones says the charges are juvenile charges at this point and the suspect is in juvenile detention.
It is unclear where he got the weapon.
Jones says the crime scene is large and it will take a while to process everything. He says it doesn't appear anyone else was involved in the shooting. No other weapons were found, Jones says.
Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer says a police K-9 tracked the suspect and deputies took him into custody. Police then searched the school building.
Jones says "It went pretty good today" in terms of the way everyone reacted.
"We're trying to work on the motive and we'll have more information as it materializes."
"Were they targeted? Were they random? At this point, we know the victims that were shot, and we don't know, or can't release the reason why at this point," says Jones.
Jones says the gun still appears to look like a .380 caliber weapon. It will be sent out for testing.
"We know why he fled the building but we're not going to release that at this point."
Update 02/29/16 3:15 p.m.: The Butler County Sheriff's Office reports two students taken to Miami Valley Hospital are in stable condition.
(Update 8)Miami Valley Hospital announced that the Madison students they received are in stable condition and are expected to recover.
— Butler County S.O. (@BCSOalerts) February 29, 2016
Update 02/29/16 2:00 p.m.: WCPO reports the Butler County Sheriff's Office identifies the four injured students as:
- Cameron Smith, 15
- Cooper Caffrey, 14
- Brant Murray, 14
- Katherine Doucette, 14
Update 02/29/16 1:42 p.m.: Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones says the shooter was a 14-year-old male student at the school. He shot two kids in the cafeteria, the kids were taken to the hospital with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries. It's unclear how the other two students were injured.
Jones says "we believe we know a motive" but would not release any details.
The weapon may have been a .380 caliber weapon. The shooter ran from the school and threw down the weapon which deputies have retrieved. Jones said he is not certain, but he believes the suspect was caught while still on school grounds.
"He didn't get far," Jones says
All parents of injured students have been notified. The shooter's name is not being released at this time.
Jones says his department is currently talking to students and taking statements from witnesses who were in the cafeteria. He says a Butler County Deputy was in the school cafeteria just prior to the shooting.
Update 02/29/16 1:25 p.m.: Coordinator of School and Community Relations AJ Huff says all students are accounted for. She says the district dealt with the issue effectively and students, faculty and staff have previously gone through training on how to deal with an active shooter situation.
Huff says the school has a resource officer. However, it's unclear at this point whether or how he/she may have been involved. Huff described the situation as chaotic.
Students were being sent home as of 1 p.m.
Update 02/29/16 12:54 p.m.: Chief Deputy Anthony E. Dwyer with the Butler County Sheriff's Office now says four students were injured. All injuries are said to be non-life threatening. Two students were injured by gun shots, two others were injured either by shrapnel or some other object.
The suspect is reportedly a single shooter who walked into the lunchroom.
Original Post: Three students reportedly have non-life threatening injuries following a shooting at Madison Jr/Sr High School in Butler County. One suspect is in custody, according to the Madison Local Schools Facebook page.
The district says it remains on lockdown and students will be sent home once the Butler County Sheriff's Office clears the scene.
Madison Elementary School will dismiss one hour early.
Our news partners at WCPO report parents may begin picking up students from Madison High School at 1 p.m.
WCPO reports several other area high schools were also on lockdown as a precaution.
