A 7-year-old student sustained an injury when a firearm accidentally discharged during class at Freetown Elementary School in Maryland on Wednesday, as reported by officials.
The Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Office stated that the second-grade student, who had been carrying the gun, injured his hand from the incident. Fortunately, there were other students present, but no one else was reported hurt.
The local school district indicated it is cooperating with police and offering support to students impacted by the event.
“All students will be dismissed at 11:15 a.m. today. Bus riders will follow their regular routes home. If parents need to make alternative arrangements, they were advised to contact the school. More details will be shared as they arise,” the school district announced.
The injured student was taken to the hospital but fortunately has non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Anne Arundel County Police Department spokesperson Justin Mulcahy, a second-grade student had a firearm in the classroom, which went off at some point during the day.
Officers responded quickly to reports of the incident, arriving at the school within six minutes, and the teacher acted swiftly to secure the weapon and assist the injured child.
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad expressed concern, questioning how a 7-year-old managed to bring a firearm to school. “We shouldn’t be holding this press conference under these circumstances,” he remarked.
School Superintendent Mark Bedell acknowledged the decision to send students home early was made due to the distress the situation caused, not only for the students but also for the faculty. “My reaction mirrored the fear of these parents,” he stated.
Despite the incident, officials confirmed that Freetown Elementary School would reopen as scheduled on Thursday.
