‘We Narrowly Missed a Tragedy Today’: Wisconsin Police Credit Elementary School Staff With Stopping Potential Teen Shooter

Police in Kenosha, Wisconsin credited elementary school staff with stopping a potential school shooter before the 13-year old was able to get into the school and do any harm.

“Police are describing a very narrow success here,” said CNN law enforcement correspondent Whitney Wild. “Police say that this child entered a secure area of the school after trying two side entrances when he entered, which is when he was confronted by school staff.”

Wild said the teen “appeared very nervous and ran away” as police were called to the school. She said community tips allowed authorities to identify the suspect and convince him to surrender.

CNN showed a video of the teen allegedly brandishing an assault-style rifle in an online post. Chief Patrick Patton said Kenosha Police should have been told about the teen’s social media presence sooner.

“This is something that had been told to people of his growing intentions. We know that there was internet searches, and all of the red flags we would look for and expect someone to report were there…We narrowly missed a tragedy today. And we’re just going to re-encourage people that when they see something, say something. Help us out. Have those talks with your children. This video shouldn’t have been seen by us today; this should have been reported to us earlier.”

Police have not yet released the teen’s name or information about a court appearance.

Distraught parents gathered outside the school, with one sobbing, “I just want to get my kids out of there, that’s it. And I don’t know what I can do. I know I can’t keep them out of school. But I want to keep them safe.”

Another parent lamented, “It is terrifying. It is an elementary school and what kind of person has intentions to do things like that?”

Watch the clip above via CNN.