A routine school pickup turned into a harrowing incident at Sepulveda Middle School in North Hills when a 13-year-old allegedly fired shots on Wednesday afternoon, injuring a 17-year-old.
According to police reports, the shooting occurred shortly after 3 p.m. as the older teenager, not enrolled at the school, approached the campus to collect a younger sibling. An altercation reportedly ensued, leading to gunfire, as reported by NBC4.
The 17-year-old was hit in the thigh and transported to the hospital. The specifics of his condition have not been disclosed. On-site, a school police officer applied a tourniquet to manage the bleeding until paramedics arrived.
Investigators have identified a 13-year-old as the alleged gunman; however, as of Wednesday evening, he had not been apprehended. Police recovered a firearm nearby believed to be linked to the incident, though it is still unclear if the suspect has any gang affiliations.
Students at the scene recounted the chaos that erupted so close to their school grounds.
“We heard several loud bangs,” a student shared with NBC4. “My friends and I immediately started running. There were crowds of people, and everyone was in a panic.”
School officials quickly placed Sepulveda Middle School on lockdown as LAPD officers and school police swarmed the area. Streets around the campus were shut down as investigators combed the scene, with patrol cars lining nearby blocks.
“The injured person was not a Sepulveda Middle School student,” the principal told families in a message, adding that the lockdown was issued out of an abundance of caution.
Two individuals were initially detained but later released after being cleared of involvement.
By around 5 p.m., the lockdown was lifted and students were allowed to leave, though officials said extra police patrols would remain in place.
Authorities stressed there is no ongoing threat to the school, and no other injuries were reported.
