NEWPORT NEWS — A 15-year-old Heritage High School student has been arrested following the Sept. 20 shooting at the school that left two wounded.
On the morning of Monday, Sept. 20, the Newport News Police Department (NNPD) responded to a shooting at Heritage High School in southeast Newport News. Upon arrival, officers located two students suffering from gunshot wounds.
Both students were transported to a local hospital where they were treated for non-life threatening wounds.
Police say the suspect knew the victims and fled the scene after the shooting.
Two other students were taken to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries related to evacuating the school.
The school was immediately placed on lockdown while NNPD officers cleared the building of any additional threat. Faculty and students were evacuated, and parents were told that they could pick their children up from the tennis courts at the back of the building.
After receiving identifying information about the suspect, as well as numerous tips from the community and school personnel, NNPD conducted an extensive search of the area.
NNPD said that a 15-year-old male, and Heritage High student, was taken by a family member to Juvenile Services at 2:23 p.m. He was then transported to Newport News Police Headquarters for an interview.
He was charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, two counts of a use of firearm in the commission of a felony, and other weapons-related offenses.
NNPD has not identified the 15-year-old.
“It is by the grace of God there was no loss of life,” Police Chief Steve Drew said in a statement. “We know this will be difficult to process for everyone involved and hope students, families, and faculty members take advantage of the resources that have been made available to help them cope with what happened yesterday at Heritage High School.”
