Minneapolis shooting: One student dead, another injured at Richfield school

Two students were shot, and one died, outside a suburban Minneapolis school on Tuesday, police say.

The students were shot around 12.07pm outside of South Education Center, said Richfield Police Chief Jay Henthorne.

The student who was not fatally shot was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Police searched for suspects who fled the scene.

‘This is a tragic day in the city of Richfield,’ Henthrone said in a brief press conference a couple of hours after the shooting. ‘Our… hearts and prayers and thoughts go out to District 287 students, their families and their community.’

The students were shot close to the front entrance of the campus, District 187 Superintendent Sandra Lewandowski said, adding it is ‘a terrible tragedy and loos’.

‘We are deeply saddened and will do everything we can to… support the families, classmates and staff in whatever way possible,’ Lewandowski said. ‘There are no words to describe the bravery exhibited by our staff and local authorities today. No one should ever have to respond to a tragedy like this.’

Students and parents were being reunited in the afternoon.

‘We expressed our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims,’ Lewandowski said.

Police were called to South Education Center in September after students told staff that a male student had a gun in his backpack, the Star Tribune reported. No one was injured at the time.

South Education Center recently removed metal detectors at its entrances, spokeswoman Rachel Hicks told the newspaper. In addition, the school district replaced school resource officers with student safety coaches focused on solving mental health issues and improving relationships.

South Education Center has a student body of about 200, as young as prekindergartners, its website states. It offers special education programs as well as an alternative high school.

Richfield Middle School, which is near South Education Center, sent a message to parents informing them that cops and emergency medical personnel had arrived at the middle school by accident.

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