Security stepped up at high school

1 teen hurt, 1 jailed in shooting near Springdale campus

SPRINGDALE -- Police stationed extra officers at Springdale High School on Thursday, a day after a shooting near campus wounded a student after classes were dismissed.

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The shooting happened about 4:13 p.m. Wednesday on the west side of the buildings at 402 S. Thompson St., Suite 9, and 1003 Wilkinson Lane, about a block south of the high school. Police received reports of five to nine gunshots, Sgt. Josh Kirmer said Wednesday.

Police declined Thursday to release the name of the 17-year-old suspect, also a student at the school, or the 16-year-old victim. The victim was in stable condition Thursday at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, said Mike Peters, acting Springdale police chief.

Police identified the suspect within an hour of the shooting with the help of witnesses, said Lt. Scott Lewis, public information officer for the department. About 7 p.m., he was arrested in Lowell on charges of first-degree attempted murder and possession of a handgun by a minor or possession of a gun on school property. Police expect him to be charged as an adult.

The case is still under investigation, Peters said.

Up to 13 people in their teens and 20s standing near where the gunfire happened ran away, Kirmer said Wednesday. Officers spent Thursday trying to find and interview witnesses.

Shell casings were taken into evidence, Lewis said. He was unsure if the gun used in the shooting had been recovered.

School officials kept Springdale High School students inside Thursday, said Don Eichenberger, assistant principal at the school.

Police added extra patrols at all schools for the beginning of the school year Monday but increased patrols Thursday, Peters said.

"We really stepped it up today," he said.

Police on patrol are looking for anything that would raise concern, Peters said. Residents can help by reporting suspicious activity or letting officers know about areas where teens gather, he said. The area near the school where the shooting happened had been a gathering place for many years, police said Thursday.

Springdale High School normally has one to two school resource officers on campus, said Sgt. Jeff Taylor, who supervises officers at the district's middle, junior high and high schools. There were six resource officers at the high school Thursday.

Schools attendance appeared to be normal Thursday, Eichenberger said. About 2,200 students are enrolled at the school, and 2,148 students were there Thursday, Taylor said.

Eichenberger said the arrested teen will face school consequences after the legal system has run its course. The maximum penalty would be expulsion.

Metro on 08/22/2015

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