LMPD: Student shot at Fern Creek Traditional High School

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - The person who shot a student at Fern Creek High School fled the building, but a suspect was captured about three hours later, according to Louisville Metro Police.

[UPDATE: Suspect taken into custody]

One shot was fired inside a third-floor classroom at about 1 p.m. at the school at 9100 Fern Creek Road. The student was rushed to a hospital and was being treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. The parents of that student were notified and the family was reunited at a hospital, police said.

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It is not known what preceded the gunfire. Police would only say the suspected shooter is a black male between the ages of 15 and 16 years old.

Parents of students at Fern Creek High School were urged to go to nearby Fern Creek Park to pick up their children. Fern Creek Elementary School remained on lockdown for some time, but officials dismissed students at the regular time of 3:45 p.m. Parents were being required to show identification in order to pick up their children.

St. Gabriel School, about a mile away in the 5500 block of Bardstown Road, also went into lockdown but had planned to dismiss students at their normal time of 2:45 p.m.

High school students who walk to school were given permission to walk home. Students who drive themselves to school will have to wait until police clear the scene before they can get to their cars. Students who can't walk home or drive themselves home were being taken to Moore High School, where parents can pick them up.

Shortly before 2 p.m., students were seen walking out of the school in a single-file line with their hands on their heads, escorted by police.

According to LMPD, several students reported having seen a firearm at the school.

Fern Creek Traditional High School principal Dr. Nathan Meyer issued the following letter to parents after the incident:

Dear Parents,

At approx. 1:00 Fern Creek High School went under lockdown procedures, as it was believed there was a weapon in the building. Teachers were notified to institute lockdown procedures with their classrooms. They did so without incident. It is a frightening scenario for any school or parent to have a situation like this to occur during the school day. All students and teachers remained safely in their classrooms until the building was thoroughly searched and secured by local law enforcement. We understand the great anxiety and fear that a situation like this can produce. We want you to know that teachers followed our safety plan procedures exactly as we have drilled and students and teachers behaved admirably under the circumstances.

At this point, LMPD is under control of the situation. Once the building is released back to me, we will dismiss car rider students from Fern Creek Park. Regular bus transportation will be provided to our kids once we regain a secure status. As of 2:20 pm, I do not have a specific time for dismissal.

Nathan Meyer, Ed.D.

Principal, Fern Creek Traditional High School

The school is about 10 miles southeast of downtown Louisville.

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