School Lockdown: Elementary School Shut Down For Safety; One Child Shot

MOSS BLUFF, LA – A Louisiana elementary school was on lockdown Monday after a 7-year-old child was injured in a shooting, according to police officials. The Moss Bluff Elementary student was rushed to a hospital in nearby Lafayette and is in stable condition, police said. The lockdown was lifted once details of the incident emerged, police said.

The Calcasieu Parish School Board has sent notifications to parents at Moss Bluff Elementary assuring no students are in danger. The incident is under control, and there is no active threat at this time and the lockdown was just a precaution, police said. (For more information on this story and more national news, subscribe to the Across America Patch.)

Parents and residents in the Facebook group “Citizens of Moss Bluff ~ Be Informed” have revealed that this was likely an accidental shooting. A first grade student brought a gun to school, which accidentally discharged when he dropped it, injuring another student in the classroom, according to a news statement from Sheriff Tony Mancuso.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office's statement confirmed that the 7-year-old student was accidentally shot. The incident was confined to the child’s own classroom, and no other students are in any danger, according to the sheriff's office.

Moss Bluff Elementary School is located in Moss Bluff, and the school has a faculty of 65 and houses 955 students.

Mancuso issued the following news statement: “I’m a pro-gun advocate and I believe in the 2nd amendment that allows us to possess and carry firearms, however, I also believe that it is our responsibility as gun owners to keep our guns locked and out of the reach of children.

"In addition, talking to our children about the dangers of guns can help them know how to react if they encounter a gun at school or even at a friend’s house,” he said.

Photo Credit: Rick Bowmer/Associated Press