South Carolina School Shooting: 2 Children, Teacher Injured At Townville Elementary

A man in South Carolina allegedly killed his father Wednesday afternoon before opening fire on an elementary school playground, according to law enforcement officials. Two students and a teacher were injured following the shooting at Townville Elementary School in Anderson County, South Carolina.

The shooter, a teenager, was taken into custody minutes after the shooting occurred, authorities said. The students were taken by helicopter to local hospitals and the teacher by ground. It was unclear how serious their injuries were.

Sheriff's deputies in Anderson County responded to reports of a "possible shooting" at the Townville school, and authorities were seen on the roof wielding weapons in local news footage from WSPA, the CBS affiliate in the area, which broke into daytime television programming to carry the breaking news.

A man was found dead just miles from the school earlier Wednesday afternoon, a killing that authorities believe was connected to the school shooting. The man found dead, 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne, has been identified as the suspected school shooter's father.

Officials told reporters at a press conference that the shooter used a handgun at the elementary school.

Townville Elementary was placed on lockdown after the shooting as deputies swarmed to the scene, and students were taken by bus to a nearby church so parents could pick them up. At the church, local news shared images of long lines of cars where parents waited to take their kids home.

"The world we live in," one father who had just picked up his child told WSPA, shaking his head. "I’m just thankful my daughter is safe, thank you Jesus."

Classes have been cancelled for the rest of the week at Townville Elementary.

Townville is a rural, unincorporated area in Anderson County in the western part of the state near the border with Georgia. Townville Elementary School is part of Anderson County District Four.

"As we work together with law enforcement to make sure they have the support they need to investigate what happened in Townville, Michael and I ask that everyone across South Carolina join us in praying for the entire Townville Elementary School family and those touched by today's tragedy," South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said in a statement.

South Carolina Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott offered their prayers on Twitter: