(Baltimore, MD) —  Shortly after 12:00 noon today, a special education assistant at Frederick Douglass High School was shot by an adult family member of a student. The shooting took place during a confrontation in the lobby area of the building. On hearing the shots, school police officers responded immediately. The shooter was taken into custody without incident. The school was placed on lockdown while city and school police secured the area. At 1:15, students were dismissed to be with their families and to enable the investigation at the school to be completed. To minimize crowds and any potential confusion at the Mondawmin transit hub, dismissal at nearby secondary schools was staggered, with Coppin Academy closing at 2:15.

The victim is in serious but stable condition at a local hospital. In a message to City Schools families, CEO Sonja Santelises said, “He has served Baltimore’s students for many years, and I ask you all as part of our City Schools community to hold him and his family in your hearts.”

Dr. Santelises said further, “In a city where violence is too present, our schools must be havens of safety and peace, where confrontation and weapons have no place. I can tell you that both our officers and our injured staff member did everything to ensure the safety of our students. In the coming days, we will have more information about the incident, and we will also review our safety and security protocols for Frederick Douglass High School and all our schools. My highest priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff members, and I and my leadership team will take all possible steps to ensure that our schools are the safe havens they need to be.”