New details emerge in middle school shooting that left five injured; suspect identified as a 12-year-old girl
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New details continue to emerge after five people were injured on Thurs. at a Los Angeles middle school.

KTLA reports LAPD responded to a call from Sal Castro Middle School in the Westlake district on Thurs. morning at close to 8:55 a.m. According to Officer Drake Madison with the LAPD, the call came from someone inside the middle school who reported a shooting.

A female student, said to be around 12 years old, was detained after five people were hurt. A 15-year-old boy who was shot in the head is listed in critical but stable condition at an area hospital. Another student, a 15-year-old girl, is listed in stable condition at an area hospital after being shot in the wrist.

According to FOX News, police indicated that the 12-year-old girl is the”suspect” who opened fire, despite previous reports that listed the girl as a person of interest only.

Capt. Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said that three other people, ages 11, 12, and 30, were injured due to “peripheral stuff.” They  are expected to survive.

Jocelyn Lopez told KTLA that her little sister, 13, was inside the classroom when the incident occurred. The 13-year-old sent her sister text messages during the shooting, explaining that she “just heard something pop inside the classroom.”

Los Angeles Fire department’s Erik Scott, far right, police officers and school officials gather outside the Belmont High School in Los Angeles Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018. Two students were shot inside a Los Angeles middle school classroom Thursday morning and police arrested a female student suspect, authorities said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

“It was really close to her,” Lopez said.

The gunfire took place inside a first period electives class that include students from different grade levels at the school. The school conducts random firearm checks, but the suspect somehow snuck the weapon onto campus. Police found the gun at the scene.

“We do not know yet how a young person ended up having the ability to have access to a firearm and bring it on campus,” chief of the Los Angeles Unified School District police force, Steve Zipperman, said.

 

The school is currently on lockdown, but police said that a  “a normal school day will continue” and that there were no other threats at the school.

The story is still developing. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

[Feature Photo: AP/Damian Dovarganes]