Today's school shooting story brought to you by Tacoma, Wash

[Big Jimmy]

http://www.komotv.com/news/5071291.html

TACOMA, Wash. - A student was shot to death at his high school as classes were about to start Wednesday morning, and police arrested another student found wandering in a nearby neighborhood, officials said.

The identities of the suspect and the slain student were not immediately released. Police spokesman Mark Fulghum said no one else was hurt in the 7:30 a.m. shooting at Foss High School, and police were still trying to determine what prompted the attack.

The arrested teen, another Foss student, was captured about two hours later without putting up a fight, police Detective Chris Taylor said.

Witnesses provided officers with a name, and police also were able to get a picture of the suspect. "We had a last known address for him," Taylor said. "He was wandering in the neighborhood a few miles away. How he got that far isn't clear."

The shooting happened in a hallway at the school, on the first day back for students after the winter break, he said.

Two 15-year-old sophomores, Malcolm Clark and Josh Wilber, said they witnessed the shooting and were questioned by police afterward.

Clark and Wilber said three shots were fired. The shooter was about five feet away from the victim, and didn't appear to target anyone else, the boys said.

Clark said the victim was an acquaintance.

"He got shot - bang - and he just fell," Clark said. "He just froze and he fell backwards into the lockers."

"He didn't scream or nothing. He didn't move when he hit the ground," Wilber said.

The gunman fled through nearby double doors, Clark and Wilber said.

The school was locked down and police worked to evacuate the building. By about 8:30, Tacoma School District spokeswoman Pam Thompson said police had secured the building and students were being sent home. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day.

One student who called the KOMO newsroom said he was herded into the gym with fellow students where they were placed in lockdown. He said the principal came in to inform them that a student had been shot.

Freshman Sam Sao, 14, said she was in the lunchroom, waiting for the bell to ring, when the shots were fired.

"Everyone was yelling, 'Get in the gym! Get in the gym!' " she said. "At first we thought it was a fight. Then the teachers started getting on the tables and screaming."

Jackie Phongsavath is a junior at the school and said the shooting happened around the corner from where he was standing.

"I thought it was fireworks, but it was probably three shots," he said. "I looked around the corner and saw someone laying on the ground and blood on the lockers."

He said that the victim was male, but didn't know who the shooter was.

Angela Millette was among the parents who flocked to the area to pick up their children from a nearby grocery store parking lot.

Millette, who was still wearing pajamas after leaving home so quickly, threw her arms around her daughter Ashley, 16, as the sophomore stepped off a bus near the school.

"I was looking for her and finally, by the grace of God ... the person opened up the school bus, and there's my daughter," Millette said. "I was so glad to see that she was OK."

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