Alabama school resource officer shoots, kills ‘suspicious’ person outside elementary school: report

A man described by police as “suspicious” has been shot and killed by a school resource officer after attempting to enter an Alabama elementary school Thursday morning, reports say. 

The gunfire erupted outside Walnut Park Elementary in Gadsden around 9:30 a.m. after the individual showed up and attempted to gain entry into vehicles and buildings, Etowah County Sheriff Jonathan Horton told WIAT. 

“I got a call from the principal, who’s really distraught, and I really couldn’t make out what was happening,” Tony Reddick, superintendent of Gadsden City Schools, told the station. “But I knew it was something pretty bad.” 

A school resource officer who belongs to the Rainbow City Police Department reportedly responded to the scene and called for backup. The individual – who has not been identified — was shot after a physical altercation ensued, according to WIAT, citing police. 

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It was not immediately clear whether that man was armed. 

In a separate interview with AL.com, Reddick said the person “aggressively” tried to open several doors and that the building went into lockdown. 

He said there were 34 children inside the school at the time for a summer literacy camp, all of whom were safely transported to a nearby location for pickup. 

“We’re just so thankful that none of this involved the children,” Reddick said. “Everyone followed the safety protocols that we’ve drilled on.”