- Wisconsin police warned of a person “behaving erratically” at Kennedy Middle School
- The gunman climbed onto the roof and shot at police, but was killed in a shootout
- Between 50 and 70 children were trapped inside when the school was locked down
One person has been killed after a shootout with Wisconsin police officers on the roof of a high school while up to 70 terrified children were trapped inside.
Germantown Police responded to a person “acting erratically” in the Kennedy Middle School parking lot on Monday around 7 p.m.
The person climbed onto the roof of the school and shot at officers who were following on foot. Police returned fire, the DOJ said.
After an exchange of bullets, the subject was shot dead.
Between 50 and 70 students were stuck indoors as their after-school activities for activities like cheerleading, basketball and color guard were halted.
An active shooter was killed at Kennedy Middle School in Wisconsin on Monday
Police responded to reports of a person ‘acting erratically’ and killed the suspect in a rooftop shootout
The school went into lockdown, leaving between 50 and 70 students stuck inside during their after-school activities
The high school was placed on lockdown due to a “threat to school safety,” according to the Germantown School District.
Samantha Scherdin, a seventh-grader, said she was in the school to practice dance when the building closed. “A lot happened,” Scherdin said.
“Me and my friends were just all together and hugging and crying. But we were told to be quiet so that nothing would enter the building.
‘But we were told there was no one in the building. There were just things walking around and we heard gunshots and screaming.”
The three officers involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave, per agency policy. No one else was injured.
The Germantown School District released a statement around 8:40 p.m.
“Due to a threat to school safety at Kennedy Middle School tonight, a lockdown was enforced. Germantown Police are currently at KMS,” it read.
The district sent buses to pick up students and take them to MacArthur Elementary, just down the street.
A seventh grader said she heard ‘gunshots and screaming’ as she and her friends were told to be quiet
The incident was reported around 7 p.m. The Germantown School District issued a statement nearly two hours later saying police were on scene
The students were taken to MacArthur Elementary, just down the road, where their parents would pick them up
Parents were instructed to bring their ID for collection and were told to expect further information upon arrival.
The district sent another email just before 11:30 p.m. informing parents that the school would be closed on Tuesday.
The DOJ’s Criminal Investigation Division has launched an investigation into the shooting.
They will turn the reports over to the Washington County District Attorney’s Office once the investigation is complete.