Joplin, Mo. – The 13-year-old boy who fired a single shot from an assault rifle inside a middle school was charged as a juvenile Tuesday in the bloodless shooting.
The boy, who entered Joplin Memorial Middle School on Monday wearing a mask, was charged with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and making terrorist threats. Jasper County juvenile office officials said they were talking with a prosecutor about charging the boy as an adult.
The student fired one shot into the ceiling of a school entryway after confronting administrators and students. Nobody was injured, and he left after his gun jammed, police said.
Another hearing is set for today, the juvenile office said.
Nearly all students returned to classes at the school Tuesday, officials said. Police officers and patrol cars were stationed near the school but largely out of sight to avoid frightening sixth- through eighth-grade students, police Sgt. Curt Farmer said.
The boy’s name was not released because of his age.
Assistant Superintendent Steve Doerr, who happened to be visiting the school, was among the first to encounter the 13-year-old student.
The boy pointed the weapon at two students and a teacher, then told Doerr: “Please don’t make me do this.”
Doerr responded: “You don’t have to do this; there is another way.” The student then fired the shot into the ceiling.
“I would classify this as a very dangerous situation, a life-threatening situation,” said Superintendent Jim Simpson. “We were lucky.”
The boy’s Mac-90 rifle, a replica of an AK-47 assault rifle, jammed after the first shot, police said. The rifle belonged to his parents, who told police they kept it in a gun safe.
