Shot Fired At Pa. High School

ByABC News
March 7, 2001, 12:00 AM

— -- An eighth-grade girl is in custody afer shooting a fellow female student today during lunch at a Roman Catholic high school in Williamsport, Pa., authorities said.

Williamsport Police said an argument between the two girls sparked the shooting, which occurred at around noon at Bishop Neumann Junior-Senior High. They said the suspect, who is 14, shot the 13-year-old victim from behind.

Police said the girls knew each other and that the shooting was "not an act of random violence." The girls had been engaged in an ongoing feud, according to Lycoming County District Attorney TomMarino.

A witness said one shot was fired at the floor and the bulletricocheted into the victim, but police said they could not confirm that theory.

The alleged shooter, authorities said, was arrested after another student convinced her to surrender. The victim was taken to a beauty salon across the street from the school where workers called 911. She was then transported to Williamsport Hospital, according to a Williamsport police officer who would not reveal his name.

The victim was stabilized for a gunshot wound to her right shoulder and flown to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, said Ellen Melley, a spokeswoman for Williamsport Hospital. She is in stable condition.

Because of the suspect's young age, Marino said charging her as an adult would be difficult. However, prosecutors have not made a final decision.

"It doesn't mean we cannot petition to have her charged as an adult," Marino said. "We will review all the factors."

Emotional Reunion

All other students were assembled in the auditorium after the shooting. About 230 students in grades 7 through 12 are enrolled at Bishop Neumann Junior-Senior High, which is about 160 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

Shocked parents were reunited with their children at a nearby school after the shooting

"Parents were very emotional and this is a very tough time," said Williamsport Mayor Michael Rafferty. "But the kids and the parents were cooperative."

At least one parent said he never expected a shooting to occur in his town at his child's school.

"Unbelievable, just unbelievable," said Steve Shoulder. "You never think it would [happen] here. You never think it would be in a school like this, especially in our town, in our community."

Both the Williamsport Police Department and the school had implemented emergency procedures since the deadly shooting at Columbine High School in April 1999.

Today's shooting came two days after two people were killed and 13wounded in a high school shooting in Santee, Calif. A ninth-graderhas been arrested.

WNEP Reporter Andy Palumbo, ABCNEWS' Bill Redeker and ABCNEWS.com's Rose Palazzolo contributed to this report.