In Madison County, Ohio, Feb. 29, 2016, four Madison Jr./Sr. High students are recovering in the hospital after being shot by a fellow student. WLWT News 5 reported that the shooting occurred at 11:30 a.m. EST when the shooter, named by the Butler County Investigative Services as James Austin Hancock, a 14-year-old Madison Jr./Sr. High student opened fire in the cafeteria during lunch.

Two eighth-graders were shot and two others were injured from the debris resulting from the shooting. Cameron Smith, 15, and Cooper Caffrey, 14, were lifted by Air Care and taken to the Miami Valley Hospital in the Dayton Area. Brant Murray, 14, and Katherine Doucette, 14, were the students injured by the flying shrapnel.

The shooting victims are expected to make a full recovery, their injuries are not life-threatening, and the injuries of the two other wounded children are similarly non-critical. All students are recovering in the hospital.

Hancock was armed with a .380 caliber weapon. After the shooting, he ran off the school premises and dropped the weapon.

According to WLWT News 5, he was taken into custody near the school and has since been charged with two counts of attempted murder and felonious assault. He has additionally been charged with inducing panic and making terroristic threats.

All of other Madison Jr./Sr. High School students were safe and   the school will be closed tomorrow.

Parents interviewed by WLWT News 5 stated that the cell phone alerts had kept them up to date and informed, on the way to pick up their kids. Students and Faculty members in the county also go through periodic safety drills concerning what to do during a school shooting.

There was another school shooting threat at a neighboring school, a gun was found in the possession of a student at another Middletown School, after students who were discussing the shooting at Madison Jr/Sr. High School. They reported to teachers that another student was possibly armed. A gun and a full magazine were recovered from the student, who was taken in for questioning.

By Juanita Lewis
Edited By Cathy Milne

Sources:

WLWT 5: Butler County Sheriff releases name of accused Madison Jr/Sr High School shooter
CNN: 3 students injured at Ohio school
WLWT: Live Wire Madison High School shooting

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