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KUSD Staff Thwart a Potential School Shooting; Police Officer Injured in a Separate Case

Nov. 7, 2024 3:15p

(WGTD)---Kenosha Unified staff and police apparently thwarted a potential school shooting Thursday. A suspect is in custody and no one was hurt--with the exception of a police officer who'd been responding to a separate report that turned out to be unfounded at Gateway Technical College.

Speaking at a briefing for reporters Thursday afternoon, Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton said that a subject with a backpack and a duffel bag tried to enter Roosevelt Elementary just after 9 a.m., but was stopped by a staff member and questioned. The individual fled. 

The suspect was eventually identified, located and arrested at 2:05 p.m., Patton said

Without elaborating, Patton said police believe the individual was armed when he tried to enter the school. 

At about 1:20 p.m., police received an unfounded report of a shooter at Gateway shortly after Gateway placed itself on lockdown as a response to the KUSD incident. 

An officer responding to the report was involved in a "very serious" traffic accident and was taken to the hospital for treatment. A condition report wasn't released. It appeared that the police officer lost control of his squad car, drove up the curb and struck a small tree. The squad car's airbags were deployed. 

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