Student injured at high school in Columbia, officials say
A student at a high school in Columbia was injured before classes started Monday and was taken to an area hospital, officials said.
The male student was hurt at Richland Northeast High School, according to Richland District 2 spokesperson Ishmael Tate. Richland Northeast High School is on Brookfield Road in Columbia, near Decker Boulevard.
There was no word on how the student was injured. Further information on his condition was not available.
No other students were involved in the incident and there is no criminal investigation, Tate told The State.
The incident happened at 8 a.m. in one of the buildings at the school, Tate said. Although that was before the start of classes, Tate said it’s normal for students to be in the hallways and buildings.
Several students witnessed the incident and several teachers responded to help, Tate said in a news release.
“Due to the immediate response, the student is currently at the hospital receiving treatment,” Tate said in the release.
School counseling staff, school social workers, and district staff are at the high school to provide assistance to students and staff, according to the release.
Richland Northeast was not placed on a lockdown, or other safety protocol, and there are no plans for an early release, according to Tate.
Richland 2 addressed the issue in a letter to parents, that it has since made public.
“Our first efforts this morning were to ensure the well-being of our student and their family,” the letter said. “Out of respect for them, we wanted to make sure that the facts we shared with students, staff and our community were accurate and appropriate. Unfortunately, rumors began spreading wildly on social media before we were able to share the facts of this tragic incident. We urge students and parents to be respectful and not to spread rumors which can cause unintentional harm or alarm for students or staff. ... Events like this are incredibly upsetting to the entire school and community.”
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published January 23, 2023 at 11:18 AM.
