GREENVILLE, S.C. — A 12-year-old is in custody after police say he shot and killed his classmate at a South Carolina middle school Thursday afternoon.
The victim, who has been identified as Jamari Cortez Bonaparte Jackson, also 12, was shot at least once, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement. He was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries, reports Greenville News. No other injuries were reported.
Around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, a school resource officer (SRO) called for emergency backup after hearing gunshots at the school. The suspect fled but was found hiding under a deck at a nearby home. A weapon was recovered during the arrest.
More than 200 deputies and officers from various agencies responded to the scene. One student told WYFF 4 that students were changing classes when the shooting happened.
“We heard a gunshot and this boy had a gun and he shot at one boy in his side,” she said. “We all pretty much went into a classroom and some people went outside. We were just in the classroom until it was over.”
Students were eventually transported to a nearby church to be reunited with their families. Attendance was optional Friday for both students and staff, and additional law enforcement and mental health professionals were made available.
The motive for the shooting and how the suspect obtained a gun remain under investigation. Sheriff Hobart Lewis urged parents to talk to their children and to consistently engage with them.
“We will continue our efforts through training and enforcement of laws to do what we can to ensure our schools are safe, but I also ask parents to have conversations with your kids,” he said. “Check their belongings and ensure they don’t have anything that could be a danger to themselves or anyone else. It truly takes a village, and we need everyone’s investment.”
The suspect has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a firearm on school property, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a person under 18.
