News

Possible School Shooting In South Carolina

by Chris Tognotti

Update: On the afternoon of Sept. 28, a shooting at Townville Elementary School in South Carolina left two 6-year-old boys and a first-grade teacher injured, Anderson County's Capt. Garland Major confirmed. Less than an hour after the attack, a 14-year-old boy was taken into custody. Later that day, the suspect's grandparents found his father, Jeffrey Dewitt Osborne, shot to death in his home about 3 miles away from the school, according to Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore. The investigation of Osborne's death is ongoing.

Earlier: According to The Greenville News, law enforcement in Townville, South Carolina is responding to reports of a possible shooting at South Carolina's Townville Elementary School, an incident first reported at around 2 p.m. local time. Local NBC affiliate WYFF is streaming live video from the school, and you can see there's a considerable police response. It's not yet clear how many people have been harmed, however.

The scene has drawn officers from multiple law enforcement agencies, according to The Greenville News' report, including members of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. WYFF reports that Anderson County deputies have confirmed that one suspect is in custody, and there are indeed injuries. The children at the school have reportedly been bused to the nearby Oakdale Baptist Church for their safety, and parents are advised not to go to Townville Elementary due to the police presence and the fact that their children are not there.

According to CNN, at least two children were shot in the attack, although again, early reports in chaotic, violent scenarios like these can be subject to rapid change. Hopefully, that number doesn't climb any higher ― the figure was reportedly confirmed by an EMS official.

Law enforcement has confirmed that two students were injured in the shooting, and both have been taken to local hospitals. One teacher was also injured, and has similarly been taken to the hospital. According to police, the suspect currently in custody is a teenager. A SWAT team has reportedly cleared the school. According to WYFF, there was another death just miles away from the school, on Osborne Road, which law enforcement has described as somehow connected to the shooting.

So far, no information is publicly available about the identities of the injured children, the injured teacher, or the suspect currently in custody. Greg Shore, the coroner for Anderson County, reportedly told The Anderson Independent Mail that the student's injuries did not appear life-threatening.

That account is contradicted by further reporting from The Anderson Independent Mail, however, which says that one of the children ― a six-year-old ― is currently in critical condition and undergoing surgery at Greenville Memorial Hospital. The other two victims, according to the Associated Press, were described as in "good" condition by a hospital official. The AP also reported that it's believed the suspect also fatally shot his father prior to opening fire at Townville Elementary.