A Georgia student has been left in a critical condition after shooting themselves on a middle school campus.
The terrifying incident unfolded at Lindley Middle School in Mableton on Wednesday.
In an email sent to families of students and seen by DailyMail.com, school officials said: ‘Earlier today, one of our students used a firearm to commit self harm.’
That student remains in hospital ‘surrounded by family,’ the email said.
A ‘Code Red’ was issued and a Cobb County District police officer responded to the scene, working with administrators to ‘secure the weapon.’
Max Oquendo, a 14-year-old student at Lindley, told DailyMail.com it was ‘traumatizing’ to hear the sirens ring out across campus placing them in lockdown.
He was about 25 minutes into class when the alarm signaled, repeating ‘this is a code red. This is not a drill.’
Seconds later, the lights cut out and his teacher ushered his class to the back of the room and shut the door.
A Georgia student has been left in a critical condition after shooting themselves on a middle school campus
The terrifying incident unfolded at Lindley Middle School in Mableton on Wednesday
Max Oquendo, a 14-year-old student at Lindley, told DailyMail.com it was ‘traumatizing’ to hear the sirens ring out across campus placing them in lockdown
Several minutes later, Max heard a loud bang which ‘sounded like a gun shot’ followed immediately by screaming.
‘There’s just screaming and screaming coming from the hallway,’ he said.
‘Every single noise, we don’t know if it’s going to be a gunman walking into us and that would be it,’ he said.
Max said his class was in lockdown for more than 90 minutes, most of which they had no clue what was unfolding outside. A fellow student checked news reports on his phone, and they watched as helicopters hovered almost directly above their class.
Eventually, a second alarm came on, modifying the warning to a ‘code green’, but warning the lockdown was still in place.
‘Dont open the doors, don’t let anyone come in the classroom,’ the warning said.
Eventually, police came and released Max’s class.
‘It was just chaos outside,’ he said. ‘Ambulance, police, news and press and people.’
A Georgia student has been left in a critical condition after shooting themselves on a middle school campus
Max said his class was in lockdown for more than 90 minutes, most of which they had no clue what was unfolding outside. A fellow student checked news reports on his phone, and they watched as helicopters hovered almost directly above their class
Max and the other students were walked to the church, where he was reunited with his parents. ‘It was traumatizing,’ he said
Max and the other students were walked to the church, where he was reunited with his parents. ‘It was traumatizing,’ he said.
Officials lifted the lockdown and code red when it became clear there was no threat to other students. They’re treating the incident as an isolated self harm event.
‘We can confirm that the victim is a juvenile,’ police added. ‘Out of respect for their family and the ongoing investigation, we are unable to share further details about their condition or confirm any other specifics.’
The middle school is attended by 905 students aged 11 to 14. Parents were being instructed to collect their kids from Leland Memorial United Methodist Church.
Counseling services will be offered to students and staff, officials said.
Mableton Mayor Michael Owens released a statement after the tragic incident offering ‘prayers and respect’ to the child’s family, hoping for a ‘full recovery.’
‘The city is working with Cobb County police department and Cobb County board of education to ensure that this isolated event does not disrupt the element of safety and security we want to provide to students while learning.’
It comes just months after Georgia’s deadliest school shooting which left four people dead.
Colt Gray, 14, has been charged in connection with the massacre at Apalachee High School in Winder.
It comes just months after Georgia’s deadliest school shooting which left four people dead. Colt Gray, 14, has been charged in connection with the massacre at Apalachee High School in Winder
He is accused of shooting dead two students and two teachers during the rampage.
Gray’s father Colin Gray has also been charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for allegedly providing his son with the weapon.
Students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall were all killed during the shooting.
This week teachers at the school were preparing to walk through metal detectors for the first time after it emerged another student had brought a weapon to school.
This is a breaking news story, please check back for updates…
