A tragic incident unfolded at a Harford County high school in the United States, where a 16-year-old student fatally shot another student on his first day at the school, authorities confirmed Friday.
The victim, 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant from the Edgewood community, was rushed to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore but succumbed to his injuries several hours later.
At a press conference, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler expressed his sorrow over the outcome.
“I wish we were sitting here talking about a better outcome for the young man,” Gahler said.
The altercation occurred inside the restroom at Joppatowne High School, where the 16-year-old assailant reportedly pulled out a gun during a fight with Grant.
After the shooting, other students moved Grant into the hallway, where he was discovered by the school principal and a staff member.
Following the incident, the shooter fled the school grounds but was later apprehended after a community-wide search involving local residents who alerted authorities via 911.
Gahler stated that despite the absence of the weapon, there was “overwhelming evidence” in the case. However, police have not yet been able to question the accused, whose identity remains undisclosed due to his age.
The shooting prompted an immediate response from law enforcement, with deputies arriving on the scene within two minutes of the first report, and more than 100 officers, including Maryland State Police and Baltimore County police, present on campus within 15 minutes.
Superintendent Sean W. Bulson of Harford County Public Schools emphasized the district’s commitment to providing support for students, stating, “Our hearts are breaking for the victim and this victim’s family. The circumstances are absolutely terrible, and this should not be happening in schools.”
The high school principal, Melissa Williams, also expressed deep sympathy for Grant’s loved ones, saying, “We are one town. And we are J-Town.” As the community grapples with the aftermath of the tragedy, school officials gathered at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church to ensure that students who left the campus were safely reunited with their guardians.
Sheriff Gahler, reflecting on the frequency of school shootings, referenced a similar incident earlier that week at Apalachee High School in Georgia, which resulted in four fatalities.
He urged parents to be vigilant, remarking, “Parents have to be parents … and know what their children are up to” before such tragedies occur. He also raised concerns about the accessibility of firearms to minors, asking, “We all have the question; why is a 16-year-old … what is the deal with this? How did he get his hands on this gun?”
While the 16-year-old suspect had previous encounters with law enforcement, Gahler did not provide specific details.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the authorities expect charges to be filed soon, potentially as early as Saturday. Bulson noted that while schools conduct drills for such emergencies, “it’s never the same when it actually happens.”
Governor Wes Moore offered his condolences to Grant’s family and friends in a statement Friday evening, reaffirming the state’s commitment to safety in educational institutions.
“Every Marylander deserves to feel safe at school,” Moore said. Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly echoed these sentiments, expressing the community’s collective grief. “Our hearts are broken for Warren’s family and friends as we pray for healing and peace in our community,” Cassilly stated.
This incident closely followed another school shooting in Georgia, where a 14-year-old gunman took the lives of four people.
That tragedy reignited conversations around gun storage laws and how parents should address the topic of school shootings with their children.
