High School Graduation Shooting Rocks Kansas High School [Video]
The 2016 graduation ceremony at one Kansas high school was rocked by an odd occurrence that caused serious injuries, and could easily have proven deadly. Augusta High School students had just begun the commencement ceremony when a gun went off, shooting two people in the crowd of 500 to 1,000 people.
In what Augusta Police Chief Tyler Brewer referred to as a “knucklehead situation,” a 37-year-old man who came to watch the high school graduation accidentally shot himself, as well as a young woman.
The gun went off while the man was attempting to reposition it into a more comfortable area of his sock. He shot himself in the foot, leaving a minor injury that allowed him to be capable of driving himself to the hospital for medical attention.
The 28-year-old woman he shot, however, did not fare so well. Reports vary regarding the cause of the injury, whether she was struck by the bullet that injured the gunman or shrapnel cause by the ricocheting bullet. At any rate, she was struck in the calf and taken to the Wesley Medical Center in serious condition. Both of the high school graduation ceremony goers were expected to make full recoveries.
According to CBS News, the man carried a compact, semi-automatic gun concealed within his sock onto Augusta High School grounds. While he did have a permit for the weapon, the high school expressly prohibits guns on school property. Therefore, even though he carried the weapon legally, bringing the gun into the high school was in and of itself an illegal act. In the following Twitter tweet, a no gun policy is clearly marked on the gates of the high school.
Kansas high school graduation: man adjusts sock with gun tucked inside, shoots own foot. Ricochet hits woman in leg. https://t.co/0sUn2jykeS
— Scott Charton (@ScottCharton) May 16, 2016
Augusta Police Chief Tyler Brewer explains the details of the high school graduation shooting, as well as the extent of the injuries, reports the Wichita Eagle.
“An individual sitting on the southern portion of the stadium had brought this gun into the stadium. It was in his sock. It was uncomfortable for him. He went to adjust his sock, and the weapon went off, striking him in the foot.
“The man who had the weapon is from a nearby city. The [other] victim is a longtime resident.
“It doesn’t look like they are life-threatening injuries at this point in time. We are still investigating.”
The Augusta police will meet with Butler County Attorney Darrin C. Devinney tomorrow to determine if charges will be brought against the one who perpetrated, though accidentally, the high school shooting during the graduation ceremony.
Though the high school commencement ceremony was ruined for at least two people, the vast majority of people at Augusta High School did not even realize anything was amiss. Augusta Police Sergeant Jeremy Johnston said this is due to the small caliber of the gun that was accidentally discharged. It did not make a loud noise, but ricocheted about 50 feet before coming into contact with the young woman’s leg.
Despite this near-tragic incident, the Augusta High School graduation went off without a hitch, leaving hundreds of high school students poised on the edge of adulthood.
It’s official, the class of 2016 are Augusta High School graduates! pic.twitter.com/usYNombS51
— AHS Counselors (@AHS_Counselors) May 15, 2016
Do you think charges should be filed against the man who concealed his gun in his sock? On the one hand, he had the gun legally. On the other hand, it was clearly prohibited by the high school. What is the right course of action in this situation?
[Image credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]
