A student was shot to death at a high school here Wednesday morning, police and school officials said.
Police said the suspected shooter fled Foss High School shortly after the 7:30 a.m. shooting and was still at large.
Police spokesman Mark Fulghum said the male victim had died. His name and age were not immediately released.
The shooting happened just outside the building, Tacoma School District spokeswoman Patti Holmgren said.
”It happened right outside the school, and that person apparently fled immediately,” Holmgren said. ”We have a strong suspect, of course. There were witnesses.”
The school was locked down and police worked to evacuate the building. By about 8:30, Tacoma School District spokeswoman Pam Thompson said, police had secured the building and students were being sent home. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day.
Fulghum said police believe the shooter was a student, but were not sure. He said police did not immediately know what prompted the shooting.
Jacki Phongsavath a junior at Foss, told Seattle television station KOMO that the shooting occurred around a corner from where he was standing.
”I thought it was fireworks, but it was probably three shots,” Phongsavath said. ”I looked around the corner and saw someone laying on the ground and blood on the lockers.”
He said that the victim was male, but didn’t know who the shooter was.
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