Executive Summary
- Washington High School in Sioux Falls, S.D., implemented a brief shelter-in-place order on Thursday afternoon.
- The order was a precautionary measure following an off-campus accidental firearm discharge on 6th Street.
- An elementary student was involved, sustaining a non-life-threatening, self-inflicted injury.
- School officials confirmed the incident was not directly connected to the high school.
- Students were released after approximately 30 minutes once police gave the all-clear.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Washington High School was temporarily placed under a shelter-in-place order on Thursday afternoon following an accidental firearm discharge that occurred off-campus. Officials confirmed the incident involved an elementary student who sustained a self-inflicted, non-life-threatening injury.
The incident reportedly took place on 6th Street, away from the high school grounds. According to a statement from school officials, the elementary student was handling a firearm when it accidentally discharged, causing the injury.
In an email to parents, the school clarified that the situation did not directly involve Washington High School. The shelter-in-place order was implemented “out of an abundance of caution” to ensure student safety until law enforcement provided an all-clear signal.
The precautionary measure lasted for approximately 30 minutes. Students were safely released from the school at around 3:37 p.m. CST after police secured the nearby area and deemed it safe.