A fight at a high school in Maryland escalated into a shooting, leaving a 15-year-old with a serious gunshot wound, officials said. The student later died from his injuries, Scripps News Baltimore reported.
Authorities were called to Joppatowne High School, just outside of Baltimore, around 12:30 p.m. after getting reports of a possible active shooter incident.
Upon arriving, officers learned a fight between two students had taken place inside a bathroom. Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said the suspect fired one shot before leaving the school.
People at the school reportedly pulled the victim into a hallway, where a school nurse was able to tend to their wound before they could be rushed to a local hospital.
RELATED STORY | Teen charged with killing 4 at Georgia high school and father appear in court
The suspect, a 16-year-old, was caught a short time later in a nearby neighborhood, Gahler said.
The gun used in the shooting has not been located, authorities said, and it's unclear how the suspect obtained the firearm.
"We need parents to actually be parents and know what their children are up to," the sheriff stated.
Gahler added that the law in Maryland prevents detectives from speaking with the accused gunman due to his age. However, he believes they still have enough evidence to charge the suspect as an adult.
The shooting happened at a sensitive time surrounding school safety, as a school shooting in Georgia left four dead and nine injured on Wednesday.
