WALPOLE, N.H. -
Parents were called to pick up their children at the Walpole Elementary School Friday. They were not given much information at first.
"A student was injured and all the other students were OK," parent Holly Vaine said.
Authorities say the 14-year-old boy shot himself in the face in the school's cafeteria at about 11 a.m. as students were filing in for lunch. Principal Sam Jacobs was there, too.
"It has been a tough day. I am going to take care of my kids and my staff, I'll take care of myself later," Jacobs said.
Authorities would not release the boy's name, but The Associated Press reports he is Hunter Mack, 14, of Walpole. One classmate told WCAX News the boy had problems: "Like all I know is that he was friendly and he had to take medicine because he had problems, that is all I know, and he was a nice guy."
The school was immediately put in what the principal called a locked-in mode. Students were confined to their classrooms.
"They brought us upstairs and gave us water and we ate lunch, didn't want us going to the cafeteria," student Lindsey Vaine said.
Parents arrived at the school throughout the afternoon to pick up their children.
The boy was airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock, and there has been no update on his condition. Authorities are still investigating this shooting, and would not tell us what kind of gun was used.
The school will be open Saturday for anyone needing counseling.
