Two young men are being sought after a shooting at 3:05 p.m. Friday on the grounds of Johnson Middle School, authorities reported.
No one was injured, but the school at 2121 26th Ave. E. was put on lockdown. According to officer Dwayne Denison, the school was on lockdown for approximately 30 minutes.
Witnesses say two suspects, possibly teenagers, were on school property toward the back of the school when one of them fired a gun in the air.
One suspect was wearing all black and the other was wearing all white. The suspects were seen on one bicycle just before the shooting. After the shooting, one suspect fled on the bicycle while the second suspect fled on foot, deputies reported.
Denison said there was no threat involved in the shooting.
“It was a sick event, and there is no telling the motive other than sheer entertainment,” Denison said.
Sheriff Brad Steube said the last shooting on a campus in Manatee County was six years ago on 38th Street at Southeast High, and that there will be enhanced security on all school campuses Monday.
“We are working on getting the suspects identified, and we will have a ton of people on campuses next week,” Steube said. “We have had an enhancecd presence since Sandy Hook.”
On Dec. 14, Adam Lanza, 20, shot 20 children and six adult staff members to death in a mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the village of Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn.
Anyone with information on Friday's incident at Johnson Middle is asked to call MSO at 941-747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.
Comments