One person dead, officer injured after shooting at a high school in Knoxville, Tennessee
(CNN and KION)
UPDATE 4/12/2021 3:18 p.m. One person has died and a police officer was injured after a shooting at a high school on Monday in Knoxville, Tennessee, police said in a news release.
Knoxville Police Department (KPD) said multiple law enforcement agencies responded to Austin-East Magnet High School for reports of a person "who was possibly armed in the school."
When officers approached the person, shots were fired, police said.
A KPD officer was hit at least one time and taken to UT Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, police said.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while another was detained for further investigation.
"There are no other known gunshot victims," police said in a statement.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will be leading the investigation of the incident, the release said.
Following the shooting, a reunification site was set up at the baseball field behind the school, police said in a tweet.
"We are gathering information about this tragic situation and will provide additional information as soon as possible," Bob Thomas, Knox County Schools superintendent, said in a tweet. "The school building has been secured and students who were not involved in the incident have been released to their families."
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon told CNN affiliate WVLT that she met with the injured officer, and thanked him for putting his life on the line for the students and staff at the school.
"He is conscious and he's in good spirits. I met with his wife, he's going to be OK," she said, adding that the officer will need to undergo surgery. "He said that he'd rather that he be hurt than anybody else."
UPDATE 4/12/2021 2:30 p.m. The Knoxville Police Department says a person has died as a result of an officer-involved shooting at a local school Monday afternoon.
Officers responded to the Austin-East Magnet High School after a report of a male who may be armed in the school, and when they approached the person, police say shots were fired.
One of the officers was shot at least once and was taken to a local hospital with what they believe are non-life-threatening injuries.
Another male was pronounced dead at the scene and one other person was detained. Police say there are no other known shooting victims.
PREVIOUS STORY: Knoxville Police Department (KPD) in Tennessee said that multiple agencies are at the scene of a shooting at Austin-East Magnet High School.
There are multiple gunshot victims reported, KPD said in a tweet on Monday, including one of their officers. Special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Nashville Field Division are on the scene of the shooting, the agency tweeted.
The investigation is "active," police said.
The Knox County Sheriff's Office said there is "no active threat" at Austin-East High School, according to CNN affiliate WVLT.
Knox County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Kimberly Glenn said that someone from the department is heading to the hospital to check on the injured police officer, WVLT reported.
A reunification site is set up at the baseball field behind the school, police said in another tweet.
"We are gathering information about this tragic situation and will provide additional information as soon as possible," Bob Thomas, Knox County Schools superintendent, said in a tweet. "The school building has been secured and students who were not involved in the incident have been released to their families."
This is a developing story.
