17-year-old student charged with attempted murder in shooting at Magruder High School

On Friday, Jan. 21, at 1:05 p.m., Magruder High School went into lockdown after a 15-year-old student was found with a gunshot wound in a school bathroom. 

Magruder High School

Photo: On Friday, Jan. 21, a 15-year-old student was shot at Col. Zadok Magruder High School. The boy has been hospitalized and was in critical condition on Saturday following surgery. (Photo courtesy of G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons.)

On Friday, Jan. 21, a 15-year-old student was shot at Col. Zadok Magruder High School. The boy has been hospitalized and was in critical condition on Saturday following surgery. (Photo courtesy of G. Edward Johnson, Wikimedia Commons.)

According to Bethesda Beat, the victim was found by school security personnel on a routine sweep of the restrooms and other areas in the school. Montgomery County police responded to secure and search the building. Shortly after 3 p.m., the alleged shooter, a 17-year-old student, was found in a classroom and detained.

According to WTOP News, the victim was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery on Friday. He was out of surgery and in stable condition as of that evening, officials said. 

In a press conference Friday night, Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said that there is no indication that the shooter was targeting anyone else in the school. "This was contained to these two guys,” he said. “We’re still trying to get to the bottom of what preceded this.”

The alleged shooter is being held without bond and will be charged as an adult with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony/violent crime, possession of a dangerous weapon on school property, and possession of a firearm by a minor.

Police say that the gun used was a "ghost gun," or a weapon that is constructed privately and is therefore untraceable by authorities.

Schools around the county are showing their support for Magruder High School students by wearing navy and white on Tuesday, January 25th.