1 student shot, another in custody after shooting at Florida high school, authorities say

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April 20, 2018 2:51 PM

One person is injured and a suspect is in custody following a shooting on Friday at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, the sheriff's office said.

One student shot another student in the ankle at a Florida high school on Friday, authorities said.
The suspected shooter is in custody, the Marion County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

One student shot another student in the ankle at a high school in Ocala, Florida, on Friday, authorities said.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on its Facebook page that the suspect is in custody and the injured student is being treated by medics.

The parent of a 16-year-old boy who witnessed the shooting told the Ocala Star-Banner that the shooter fired at a closed classroom door while he was standing in a hallway. The shooter then dropped his weapon, ran, and tried to hide, according to the boy.

Authorities received the first 911 call about the shooting at 8:39 a.m., and the suspect was in custody by 8:42, the Star-Banner reported. Both local and federal law-enforcement officials responded to the scene.

The sheriff's office said a SWAT team was doing a secondary sweep of the school at 10:30 a.m.

The office added that residents should avoid the area and parents should meet their children at the nearby First Baptist Church — not at the campus.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said on Twitter that he had been briefed on the shooting and has offered any state support Marion County may need.

The shooting comes on the 19th anniversary of a deadly shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, prompting school walkouts and protests against gun violence.

Forest High School, itself, was set to participate in a demonstration, according to the school's Twitter account.

Tomorrow we will be partici... @ Forest High School

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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