Teen injured, second arrested in Martinsville middle school shooting

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• 1:08 p.m. - Vitcim's family release statement following surgery: " Chance Jackson is out of surgery and is currently in stable condition. We appreciate all of the thoughts, prayers and support and ask that you also pray for the families of all involved. Please respect our privacy as we focus on Chance's recovery."

The Story

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) -- A 15-year-old is in custody following a shooting that left another student in serious condition Friday morning at Martinsville West Middle School.

Indiana State Police say the shooting happened just after 7 a.m. when the suspect, a student expelled from school, opened fire with a handgun in a common area as students waited for classes to start.

• View photos from the day at West Middle School.

Police tell 24-Hour News 8 that Chance Jackson, also a student, was shot twice in the stomach. He was flown from the scene to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he underwent surgery and is now described as being in stable condition.

24-Hour News 8 has learned the suspect was expelled from the school earlier this week. Police caught up with him about an hour after the shooting on the south side of Martinsville.

The handgun believed to have been used in the crime was recovered in a field southwest of the school just before Noon, Indiana State Police said.

Detectives were not sure what motivated the attack Indiana State Police public information officer Sgt. Curt Durnil said in a news conference.

Parents first learned of the incident via a text message alerting them to a lockdown. Some rushed to the school to check on their children only to learn of the shooting.

We spoke to one parent who said her daughter was able to call her and said that she was ok.

Martinsville Police, Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputies and Indiana State Police are investigating the incident. 

Social Media
Indiana State Police Public Information Officer Curt Durnil told 24-Hour News 8 that investigators are “looking into social media aspects to figure out what happened and why.”

24-Hour News 8 found the suspected gunman’s Facebook page where the most recent post was from this morning it reads “Today is the day.”

Friends were writing on the suspected gunman’s wall, who has not been named since he has yet to be charged as an adult, asking him why.

“Seeings how you were suppose to be my frined (sic). My Friends dont shoot people,” one person wrote while another simply asked “why dude.”

The suspected shooter posted “Don’t use your mind use your nine,” Thursday night. 

The social networking site also became a gathering point for students, strangers and others concerned to post messages of prayer for the victim. The group created Friday quickly grew to hundreds of followers.