A shooting incident happened in the cafeteria at Mattoon High School before noon on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire, injuring one student. A spokesperson for the Mattoon Community Unit School District 2 said police quickly responded to the active shooting incident at the school and have taken the alleged student gunman into custody.

In a post on its Facebook page, the school district said the gunman had fired shots in the cafeteria at the school but had been subdued and disarmed. According to reports in the Associated Press, it was a female teacher who subdued the alleged shooter.

Student shot at Mattoon High School is stable

The injured student was first treated by the school nurse until emergency medical technicians transported him to the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, where he is reportedly in a stable condition after suffering one gunshot wound. A second student was trampled in the panicked rush out of the school and is apparently fine.

Mattoon Police Chief Jeff Branson said local and state police responded with more than 100 officers to the scene of the shooting. Calling it a “horrific incident,” he said it was one of those things you never imagine will happen, but it did. So far police have revealed no further details about the alleged gunman.

Teacher who subdued shooter lauded by police

Branson went on to say lives had been saved in the school shooting incident due to the quick response of the female teacher. He said the teacher had obviously been trained to respond to situations like this but said you don’t know how you will react until it happens. Branson added that if she had not responded as she did, the situation could have been far different.

The teacher had subdued the gunman, while a school resource officer then disarmed the student.

While police have yet to identify the victim, the gunman and the teacher, they say the injured student was not the intended target of the shooter.

According to Branson, several shots were fired and one struck the student as he was trying to leave the cafeteria.

Students evacuated to nearby school

As reported by NBC Chicago, the school district bused students to the nearby Riddle School following the school shooting and advised parents of their location. In their statement, the school district said they were saddened by the incident and are providing counseling to students who need it. They are also cooperating with emergency personnel in an effort to find out what happened. Speaking of the teacher who subdued the shooter, they offered appreciation for the speedy response of school staff and also the first responders who arrived at the scene.

On their Facebook page, the school district announced Mattoon High School would be open on Thursday, but that it would be on an early dismissal schedule and lunch will not be served in the cafeteria.
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