A 13-year-old boy gunned down two female staff members in a horrific school shooting which also left several others injured. Terrified pupils were spotted fleeing into a classroom while others scrambled over a 20ft wall as gunfire erupted at the state school Instituto Sao Jose in Rio Branco in Brazil.
The teenage suspect, who according to the Acre government confessed to the attack, has now been detained by police. It remained unclear whether he was a current or former student at the school.
The two female staff members were declared dead at the scene. A third member of staff and a pupil sustained injuries in the shooting and were taken to hospital.
Eduardo Rodrigues Cavalcante, a receptionist at a neighbouring hotel, said he witnessed several students attempting to leap over a wall separating the two buildings.
“The wall is six meters (20ft) high, and only one person managed to jump over and take refuge here in the hotel,” he said. “The other people were left on the school roof trying to escape.”
he suspect’s legal guardian, who reportedly owned the firearm allegedly used in the attack, was also arrested, authorities said.
Governor Mailza Assis said: “The state expresses deep solidarity with the victims’ families, the school community of Instituto Sao Jose and all education professionals affected by this incident.” The Acre government announced that all schools in the state would halt classes for three days, and that psychological support teams had been deployed to offer help to students and teachers.
Acre police are currently conducting an investigation into the incident.
Daily Star
