ST. LOUIS — Students and teachers were evacuated from a south St. Louis high school after a school shooting Monday morning.
The shooting happened at Central VPA High School. One teenage girl, one woman and the suspected shooter were shot and killed, Interim Police Chief Michael Sack said in a press conference Monday morning. Sack said other people were injured in the shooting at the high school along Kingshighway Boulevard and Arsenal Street. Police said their injuries range from gunshot wounds, shrapnel injuries and cardiac arrest.
The school has been evacuated and police continue to investigate the area, Saint Louis Public Schools said students can be picked up at Gateway STEM, which is located at 5101 McRee Avenue.
Central VPA High School is also near Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience which has also been evacuated. Students from CSMB are also available to be picked up at Gateway STEM.
Students and parents were initially gathering at the parking lot of a nearby Schnucks. Some school officials and police officers have remained on that parking lot to ensure no students are left behind.
In a Monday afternoon update, SLPS Spokesman George Sells said all SLPS schools were placed under "hard lockdown" for the rest of the day. That means there will be limited movement in and outside the schools.
All scheduled buses will leave at their regular time and all after-school activities were canceled.
Parents who want to pick up their students were asked to call ahead and let the school know who will be picking up the student. When they arrive, the student will be walked out to them.
"We will remain in touch with our families and community," the update said.0 "Please rely on SLPS communications and the Police Department updates for your information."
City of St. Louis Emergency Management is asking people to avoid the area of Arsenal and Kingshighway as several roads are currently closed and "will be for several hours."
Sack said the shooter was a male who appeared to be about 20 years old. They are working to determine if he had any connection to the school.
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