DETROIT – Officials say shots rang out inside a charter school on Detroit’s west side.
Local 4 was told that the incident occurred Tuesday (Dec. 12) at the Detroit Leadership Academy when a bullet hit a whiteboard inside of a classroom.
Police said they found a gun inside a student’s bookbag.
Detroit police confirmed to us on Wednesday that officers rushed to the school at 1:24 p.m. on Tuesday on a report of shots fired.
“Shots were heard inside a classroom, and a teacher found two bullet holes in her whiteboard. The school went into lockdown, and all students were checked by staff.”
Detroit Police Department
Officials say two juveniles were being held. One of the students was a 15-year-old boy who brought the handgun to school.
Police say a 14-year-old girl was found to have the handgun in her bag.
We went to the school on Wednesday to get some answers about the incident, but class was not in session.
A person at the door said he would get an administrator to speak with us, but no one ever came.
The buzzer at the door repeats the same recorded message as the school’s voicemail.
DPD says it does not know if anyone besides the person who fired the gun was inside the classroom at the time. They also said the incident was still under investigation, and they are still trying to learn why the gun was fired.
Officials say they will not confirm if the 15 and 14-year-olds taken into custody are even students at Detroit Leadership Academy.
School officials released the following statement:
“On Tuesday, December 12 at Detroit Leadership Academy High School (DLAHS), located at 5845 Auburn in Detroit, there was an accidental discharge of a firearm in a classroom. There were no injuries and all students and staff are safe.
Immediate action was taken, and the incident was promptly reported and handed over to the Detroit Police Department for investigation. DLAHS is fully cooperating with law enforcement to ensure a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In response to this incident, the school has implemented enhanced safety measures to further protect students and staff. Effective immediately, DLAHS has instituted mandatory security searches for all students upon entering the school building. The school and its leadership are 100% committed to providing a secure and conducive learning environment.
On the day of the event, all DLAHS families and stakeholders were notified with details about the incident and the steps to address it. The community will continue to be kept informed with timely and accurate updates.
The safety and well-being of DLAHS students and staff are top priorities, and school administrators are continuing to work diligently to uphold the highest standards of security at Detroit Leadership Academy High School.”
