Student dies after shooting herself in front of classmates in high school cafeteria, police say

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PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) ­— A student died after she shot herself in the cafeteria of an Ohio high school, officials said.

The death happened Monday afternoon at Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights.

Parma police public information officer Scott Traxler said the shooting involved a single gunshot and one student. There was no active threat to other students or staff.

Police arrived at the school around 2:10 p.m. First responders took the 18-year-old student to a hospital, where she died.

A student, who did not want to be identified, said the shooting happened right around dismissal time.

“I was just leaving my last period class. I rounded the corner, then the resource officer was coming over screaming to get everyone out of the way. I saw students upset, me included, just hustling to get out of there, because it was terrible to see,” he said.

The student added, “It’s a tragedy. It’s terrible. It’s really, really sad to see, and I hate the impact that it had on anyone who saw it, and I feel sorry for the girl, too.”

As part of safety protocols, the district said students were evacuated to a designated reunification site.

The school will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the district.