A Las Vegas middle school staff member was shot on school grounds Monday afternoon, prompting officials to place three schools in the area on lockdown, according to reports.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a shooting at Ed Von Tobel Middle School just after 12:30 p.m. on Monday, after an adult male staff member was hit by gunfire, FOX 5 in Las Vegas reported.
The staff member was taken to University Medical Center and was listed in stable condition.
Police stand outside of Von Tobel Middle School during a lockdown after a report of a shooting, Monday, May 8, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
School principal Leonardo Amador notified families of students about the lockdown, saying “The safety of our students is the number one priority at Von Tobel Middle School.
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“The school has been placed on a hard lockdown due to a police investigation,” Amador added. “Students are safe in their classroom. We will provide additional updates as information becomes available.”
In a second message to school families, the principal said an adult was struck by gunfire on campus outside the building, and that no students were injured in the incident.
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He also said police did not believe there was a threat to the campus, but the school would remain on lockdown, so police could continue their investigation.
The three schools – the middle school and two nearby elementary schools – were eventually cleared by police and the district coordinated a controlled release of the students.
Although the school was cleared, the suspect was still outstanding, according to police.
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FOX 5 said there was a brief media conference held at 2:20 p.m., and the captain of the police department said officers set up a perimeter. Police also confirmed students were safe and that it was not an active shooter situation, but instead an isolated incident.
The Clark County Education Association (CCEA) issued a statement about the incident.
“We are deeply saddened by this news, but, unfortunately, we are not surprised,” the statement read, in part. “The lack of safety in our schools is nothing short of a crisis, and with hundreds of deadly weapons confiscated already on [Clark County School District] campuses this school year, CCEA has been loud and clear that we believe this situation was a school shooting waiting to happen.”
The association continued its statement saying it has been vocal about the governor and state lawmakers addressing violence in schools with legislation.
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Currently, there are two pieces of legislation before the state senate that are aimed at curbing school violence. When the two proposed laws were before Assembly, they passed with bipartisan support.
“We urge a swift passage of these bills so we can finally ensure that every bus, every classroom, and every campus in CCSD are safe for our students and staff alike,” the association’s statement read.
