The student who was fatally shot Monday during an incident at Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, has been identified by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Anthony J. Thompson Jr., 17, died during Monday’s incident, the TBI confirmed Wednesday.
A preliminary investigation by the TBI indicates the bullet that struck the Knoxville Police Department officer was not fired from the student’s handgun.
Officer Adam Willson is recovering from surgery after being wounded, the Knoxville Police Department announced Tuesday.
Willson, a 20-year veteran of the department, was serving as the school resource officer at the high school, according to the police department.
The suspect was ordered out of a restroom, but he refused to comply. As officers entered the restroom, the suspect reportedly fired shots. One officer returned fire, according to the TBI.
A drive-by shooting was reported near Austin-East High School after the school shooting, according to Local 8 News.
Initially, there were conflicting reports about whether the shooting suspect was dead.
Multiple agencies were on the scene Monday, according to the Knoxville Police Department.
Willson reportedly was shot in the hip and underwent surgery, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
The school building was secured, and students not involved were released to their families, according to the school district.
The Knox County sheriff said there was “no active threat” after the shooting, according to reporter Harry Sullivan.
The Knoxville Police Department posted on Facebook that officers responded to reports of a male subject who was possibly armed at the school about 3:15 p.m.
“Upon approach of the subject, shots were fired,” the post said. “A Knoxville Police officer was struck at least one time and transported to the hospital with injuries that are not expected to be life threatening. One male was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the incident to assist, according to ATF Nashville.
The TBI is leading the shooting investigation.
Classes were canceled Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Local 8 News.
The school was the subject of media reports in February after three students were shot to death over a three-week span. Those earlier shootings did not take place in the school, and administrators at the time said students felt the arts magnet school was a safe space, according to a story in the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Gov. Bill Lee mentioned the shooting at a news conference but said he had little information. “I just wanted to make reference to that and ask, for those who are watching, online or otherwise, to pray for that situation and for the families and the victims that might be affected by that in our state,” he said.
Last week, the Republican governor signed off on legislation that would make Tennessee the latest state to soon allow most adults 21 and older to carry handguns — openly or concealed — without first clearing a background check and training. Lee backed the legislation over objections from law enforcement groups, who argued that the state’s existing permit system provided an important safeguard for knowing who should or shouldn’t carry a gun.
The law, which does not apply to long guns, will take effect July 1. The new measure also increases certain penalties. For example, theft of a firearm — now a misdemeanor that carries a 30-day sentence — will become a felony with a mandatory six-month incarceration. It also makes exceptions for people with certain mental illnesses and criminal convictions.
When asked earlier this year whether recent mass shootings in Georgia, Colorado and others gave him any concern about timing, Lee has previously said the increased penalties mean that “we in fact will be strengthening laws that would help prevent gun crimes in the future.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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