UPDATE: ALL HOSTAGES ARE RELEASED: Armed High School Student Holding 24 Hostages In Wisconsin Classroom – With Video
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An armed student stormed into a northern Wisconsin high school classroom Monday afternoon, taking 23 students and a teacher hostage for hours before releasing them all to safety.
The condition of the gunman wasn’t immediately known, and police have yet to identify a motive behind the standoff, which rattled the community of Marinette, 50 miles north of Green Bay.
Police had been in communication with the female teacher inside the classroom, who confirmed to them that she and the students were being held hostage at gunpoint, Police Chief Jeff Skorik said. Five students were released Monday evening. A short time later, the rest of the hostages were let go.
A school administrator reported the hostage standoff at the end of the school day, 3:48 p.m. local time Monday, saying the student burst into the classroom and took hostages.
Choral teacher Bonita Weydt said she was talking with a teacher in another classroom after school, which lets out about 3:10 p.m., when principal Corry Lambie came in.
“I said, ‘Corry, what’s going on?’ and he said, `Get out of the building,”‘ Weydt said.
Parents were asked to respond to the county courthouse to receive information on their children.
A SWAT team had arrived at the school Monday evening, city councilman Bradley Behrendt said from the scene about 50 miles north of Green Bay.
“I would say there’s over 100 officers here, everyone from Marinette County, Green Bay … It’s very shocking,” Behrendt said. “They just spent a whole bundle of money on classroom doors to make them secure, but they don’t have metal detectors at the school.”
Marinette sits on the border with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The high school has an annual enrollment of approximately 800 students, according to its website.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
MARINETTE – We are continuing to follow breaking news from Marinette tonight.
Officials tell us there is an armed male student holding a classroom hostage at Marinette High School.
Marinette County Emergency Management director Eric Burmeister says a high school administrator called authorities after 3 p.m. Monday to say an armed student had burst into a classroom.
Marinette Police Chief Jeffrey Skorik updated the situation Monday evening. Skorik said the student has a handgun. He also said 23 students and a teacher are in the classroom. No injuries have been reported.
Skorik says hostage negotiators are inside the school. He says all contact has been through the teacher in the classroom. Skorik says there has not been any threats or demands made at this point.
Parents are being asked to go to the Marinette County Courthouse Jury Assembly Room (located in the basement of the Annex) if you have not been in contact with your child.
Police have roads near the high school blocked off at this time.
Besides Marinette County authorities, FOX 11 is told Green Bay police and the Green Bay SWAT team has been called to the scene.
Authorities expect to have another briefing around 9:00 p.m.
Stay logged onto fox11online.com and watch FOX 11 News at Nine for the latest on this breaking news story.
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