Sandy MaloneRichfield, MN – One student is dead and another student is in critical condition following a shooting at South Education Center Academy on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident occurred at about 12:07 p.m. on Feb. 1 on a sidewalk outside the school located in the 7400-block of Penn Avenue in Richfield, KARE reported.
District 287 School Superintendent Sandy Lewandowski posted a statement to the school’s website that said the shooting took place near the school’s front entrance.
Police said the suspects fled the area in a vehicle right after the shooting, KARE reported.
Both of the wounded students were transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment.
One of the students died at the hospital, the other student remains in critical condition, according to officials.
“This is a tragic day in the city of Richfield,” Richfield Police Chief Jay Henthorne told reporters. “Our community, our hearts, our prayers, our thoughts go out to District 287, their students, their families and our community.”
Police asked that anyone with information on the shooting at South Education Center Academy please call 888-ATF-TIPS or 800-CALL-FBI, KARE reported.
Chief Henthorne did not say whether police have suspects or any active leads in the shooting.
Multiple law enforcement agencies are on the scene at the school to assist Richfield police including special agents from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
BREAKING: Special Agents from @ATFStPaul are responding to reports of a shooting near a school in Richfield, Minn. This is a developing situation. Please refer to @RichfieldPD for official news updates. pic.twitter.com/zAmk5Mjj0Z
— ATF St. Paul (@ATFStPaul) February 1, 2022
Law Enforcement helping children to bus pic.twitter.com/vTXWvqgXdi
— Karen Scullin FOX9 (@kscullinfox9) February 1, 2022
The school district set up a parent pickup point at Donaldson Park, KARE reported.
The South Education Center website said the school includes students from kindergarten through age 21 with “unique needs.”
This is not the first time this school year that police have responded to the school for reports of a gun on campus, KARE reported.
Police arrested a student with a loaded handgun near the entrance of the school in September of 2021.
Richfield Police Chief Jay Henthorne said one student has died and the other is in critical condition as a result of the shooting outside the South Education Center at 7450 Penn Ave S.
We reported as the situation developed after noon.The school houses Pre-K to age 21. pic.twitter.com/x7DAqQMwkr
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) February 1, 2022
Richfield Chief of Police Jay Henthorne confirms one of the two students shot earlier today outside of South Education Center in Richfield has died. The other remains in critical condition. @wcco will have updates on TV and online all night. pic.twitter.com/ZtR9v4dxM3
— Guy Still (@mplstvguy) February 1, 2022
“Mom there is a shooter in the school I love you.”
that was the text shared w/me by a parent waiting for their child outside the South Education Center in Richfield. They told me they received notice from the school 40mins ago about the school being in “hard lockdown” @KARE11
— Dave Peterlinz (@DPet_KARE11News) February 1, 2022
Press conference re: Richfield incident:
-12:07 shooting occurred at south education center
-two students had been shot on sidewalk outside of school
-injured students transferred to HCMC by ambulance
-one student died from injuries other student in critical
-suspects at large— Erin Hassanzadeh WCCO (@erinreportsTV) February 1, 2022
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Holly Matkin
