A troubled Florida teen left his classmates in horror when he went in front of them during English class Tuesday morning and shot himself in the head. The 15-year-old took out a 9mm handgun and fired a single round in front of at least 20 of his Lecanto High School classmates around 10:30 a.m., Citrus County Sheriff Jeffrey Dawsy said at a press conference, according to The Tampa Tribune.
Deputies locked down the school for three hours following the incident, and an emergency airlifted the boy, who remains unnamed, to a Tampa-area hospital roughly 70 miles south of Lecanto. He was last reported to be alert and responsive but in critical condition.
"By the grace of God, even though this was a horrific event, only one individual was injured today," Dawsy told reporters, according to the New York Daily News. "This is an individual in great despair. I don't understand how at the age of 15 you could be so depressed."
"This was an isolated incident and there are no students or staff in danger at this time," said Citrus County Superintendent of Schools Sam Himmel.
A family friend was shocked to learn about the incident, describing the teen as happy, coming from a loving family, and showing no signs of bullying or aggression.
"He's just a really good kid is all I know. I don't know where he would've gotten a weapon, I mean...just shocked," said Jimmy Ritrovato, an adult family friend, according to CBS Tampa Bay affiliate 10 News.
They are no classes Wednesday due to Veterans Day, but Himmel says counselors will be on campus throughout the day to help any students or faculty if they need it.
As the investigation continues, investigators said they will look through the teen's cell phone and social media accounts to determine a motive.
