In a distressing incident at Grant Union High School on Tuesday, a male student was shot in the arm during school hours, prompting an immediate “emergency lockdown” that lasted for two hours. The Sacramento Police Department swiftly detained a 14-year-old suspect, who was also a student at the school, off-campus shortly after the shooting, according to Sgt. Carlos Martinez, a spokesperson for the department. The 17-year-old victim sustained a single gunshot wound in the school’s parking lot and was subsequently transported to the hospital with injuries that were fortunately not life-threatening. In response to the incident, the Twin Rivers Unified School District expressed its shock and sadness in a message posted on the school’s website.

The emergency response was triggered just after 9:50 a.m. when authorities received reports of the incident at the Del Paso Heights campus. Sgt. Martinez clarified that this was not an “active shooter” situation but rather appeared to be a targeted incident. Law enforcement was alerted to the shooting by a ShotSpotter activation in the vicinity, assuring the public that there was no ongoing threat to the community. The 14-year-old suspect was taken into custody on assault-related charges and placed in juvenile hall, as confirmed by the Police Department. Both the victim and the suspect were identified as students at Grant High School. The arrest of the suspect took place in the 3800 block of Balsam Street, a short distance from the school campus.

After the lockdown was lifted at 12:30 p.m., classes resumed without further incident, as indicated on Grant High School’s website. Sgt. Martinez assured reporters that law enforcement would continue to investigate the case and provide updates as more information became available.

Parents, understandably concerned, rushed to the scene upon hearing of the lockdown. Some communicated with students inside the school to ensure their safety.

Twin Rivers officials announced that psychologists and counselors would be available to support students and staff in processing the traumatic event, as mentioned in their social media post. Additionally, parents were given the option to pick up their children early after the lockdown was lifted, according to the high school’s website.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg urged the community to stand in solidarity with the students and teachers of North Sacramento’s Grant High School. In a social media statement, he expressed his gratitude for the swift response of the Sacramento Police Department in apprehending the suspected shooter. However, he also lamented the pervasive issue of gun violence among teenagers and called for a collective effort to address it.

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