6th Grade Girl Shoots 2 Students, 1 Custodian At Idaho Middle School; Teacher Disarmed Shooter

It’s a sad day when a young female student goes into a school and shoots two students and a custodian.

Around 9:15 AM Thursday, a sixth-grade girl went inside her Idaho middle school with a gun, shooting and injuring two students and a custodian. Luckily, a teacher was able to disarm her before she did any more harm.

Students and staffers heard gunfire and were evacuated to a nearby high school.

Authorities say the victims were shot in their limbs and are expected to survive the incident.

According to Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson, the young girl pulled the handgun from her backpack. She fired it multiple times inside and outside Rigby Middle School, located in the city of Rigby.

The girl was disarmed by a female teacher and was held until police arrived. She was taken into custody, authorities reported, without providing further details.

The incident is under investigation, as well as a motive for the attack.
“We don’t have a lot of details at this time of ‘why’ — that is being investigated,” Anderson said. “We’re following all leads.”

The girl’s identity has not been released, and authorities are looking to see where she got the gun.

“Me and my classmate were just in class with our teacher — we were doing work — and then all of a sudden, here was a loud noise, and then there were two more loud noises. Then there was screaming,” 12-year-old Yandel Rodriguez said. “Our teacher went to check it out, and he found blood.”

Yandel’s mom, Adela Rodriguez, said they were OK but “still a little shaky” from the shooting as they left the campus.

Both of the injured students remain in the hospital but have been listed in fair condition.

“It’s an absolute blessing” that those injured weren’t hurt worse, Dr. Michael Lemon, a trauma medical director at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, stated.

Schools across the district have been closed to give students time to be with their families, and counselors would be available Friday, said Jefferson School District Superintendent Chad Martin.

“This is the worst nightmare a school district could ever face. We prepare for it,” Martin said, “but you’re never truly prepared.”