Atlantis Beach Baptist College shooting in Perth: 15-year-old boy charged
A 15-year-old boy has been charged with multiple offenses after he allegedly drove to a school and fired into a classroom as frightened students hid in fear.
The incident in north Perth at Atlantis Beach Baptist College on Wednesday is believed to be the first incident involving firearms at a WA school.
Police arrested the boy at the scene around 11:50 am after he allegedly fired three shots, with two shots hitting a classroom.
WA police on Thursday charged the teen with unauthorized driving, possession of a firearm and ammunition without a license three times, firing a firearm to cause fear, possession of a prohibited weapon and acting unlawfully with intent to cause harm .
Lacey, a student at the school, was on her way to a math class when the first shot rang out and the school went into lockdown.
The 15-year-old boy was knocked to the ground by police and arrested on the spot (pictured)
Police arrested the teen at the scene around 11:50am after he allegedly fired three shots, with two hitting a classroom (pictured)
“I saw some students get yelled at for saying there was shooting outside the school, in the parking lot,” she told ABC News Thursday.
“I was confused because I didn’t think they would lie about this kind of thing since it’s a serious matter.”
A report on her phone from the school administration quickly confirmed that the students were telling the truth.
“I couldn’t believe it happened,” Lacey said.
“I wouldn’t expect something like this to happen in Perth.
“It’s crazy — I was scared, I was nervous, I was sad.”
The student said she and the other students hid in a storage room at the back of their classroom.
“There were doors on either side with two male teachers sitting on either side of us and we were all cramped in there,” she said.
Lacey said the group waited in the storage room for about 30 minutes until confirmation came that police had taken the boy who allegedly fired the shots into custody.
Prime Minister Mark McGowan said it was “unthinkable” that there could have been a US school shooting at a WA school.
“We are very lucky that no one was killed,” he told reporters on Thursday while visiting the school where police are still investigating.
The bullets came close. It’s terrible, terrible and it could have been so much worse.
“This is extraordinary stuff. You see things like this happening in the deep south of America.’
Mr McGowan said work is already underway to substantially reform the state’s gun laws.
“We are going to deal with it … and that means stricter controls.
A student from the school said she and others hid in a storage room in the back of their classroom (pictured shows a shocked student hugging a loved one in the aftermath of the alleged shooting)
Officers (pictured) charged the teen with one count of unauthorized driving, three counts of possession of a firearm and unlicensed ammunition, firing a firearm to cause fear, possession of a prohibited weapon, and wrongful act with intent to cause harm. harm
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) said: ‘It’s appalling, appalling and it could have been so much worse’
Officers took the teen into custody without incident (pictured)
“Whatever we do as a country, never walk the path that America has… with thousands upon thousands of people killed by guns every year.”
Officers took the teen into custody without incident Wednesday and seized two rifles, a .243 and .22 caliber, reportedly found in a car at the scene.
The guns would be in the name of the boy’s father.
Atlantis Beach Baptist College will reopen on Friday.
The changes to WA’s gun laws are expected to take effect later this year.
The boy will appear before the Perth Children’s Court on Friday.