GADSDEN, Ala. – A man trying to enter an Alabama elementary school where a summer program was being conducted was shot dead by police Thursday morning, authorities said.
Gadsden City Superintendent Tony Reddick told reporters that a “potential intruder” went through several doors trying to enter Walnut Park Elementary School, where a program was being conducted. summer literacy for 34 children. All the front doors were closed and the principal contacted the school resources officer when she realized what was happening, Reddick said.
The law enforcement officer confronted a person who tried to get into a Rainbow City police car near the school, according to a statement from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. More Gadsden police department officers showed up to help, according to the statement.
The person was shot dead after trying to grab the resource officer’s weapon, the agency said. The statement, which does not mention any attempts to enter the school, does not indicate how many shots were fired or who.
Officials don’t know if the man who was killed was a “passerby” or something, Reddick said.
Authorities did not immediately reveal the identity of the person who died or any details, including whether the person was armed or why he may have tried to enter the school or patrol car.
Although the resource officer suffered minor injuries, no students were injured and most did not realize that anything unusual had happened, Reddick said.
“Our main concern was just to make sure that someone who was not authorized to be in our building did not come in and our children were safe,” he said.
Gadsden is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Birmingham.