Police: 16-year-old student stabbed officer who then shot the student at Oshkosh West HS

OSHKOSH -- An Oshkosh Police Department resource officer shot a 16-year-old student Tuesday, Dec. 3 after the boy stabbed him in the officer’s office at Oshkosh West High School. It happened one day after a similar incident at Waukesha South High School in Waukesha.

According to Oshkosh Police Chief Dean Smith, officers responded at 9:14 a.m., approximately two minutes after they were called, and immediately entered the school. Chief Smith said the officer and the student got into an “altercation” in the officer’s office, the student stabbed the officer with an edged weapon — Smith declined to elaborate — and the officer opened fire with his 9 mm pistol, hitting the student once. It’s unclear how many times the officer may have fired.

“Today’s tragic event shows that trained school resource officers can save lives,” Oshkosh Superintendent Vickie Cartwright said at a news conference.

Chief Smith said the school was secured by 11:18 a.m.

"This is a tragedy," said Chief Smith. "This is something that no school district, no city, no community wants to face, but together, we're going to come through. We're going to make everybody whole."

The school was evacuated and students were taken to nearby Perry Tipler Middle School, where they were reunited with their parents.

"It was freaky," said Jorge Ramirez, Oshkosh West student. "I was in English and it was just, it was scary because you didn't know where it was in the school."

Ramirez said he felt some comfort when he was reunited with his sister.

"There was still kids in the school, still locked down, and I messaged them and I was like, 'What's going on?'" said Ramirez. "They were like, 'We heard gunshots,' and it was freaky."

"Everybody's scared and worried and just want to be with their kids," said Tehya Freudeenstein, older sister of an Oshkosh West student.

Superintendent Cartwright said school administrators followed ALICE training procedures in responding to the incident.

"Our students and staff followed our emergency protocols, including our ALICE protocols of alert, lockdown, inform, counter, and evacuate," Cartwright said.

Oshkosh North HS incident

On Tuesday afternoon, Oshkosh police said they were investigating a comment written on the Oshkosh Police Department’s Facebook page under the post about the officer-involved shooting that occurred at Oshkosh West on Tuesday morning -- implying a possible threat towards Oshkosh North High School.

Police said an investigation led them to believe students were not in danger, and this comment was not meant to be a threat against Oshkosh North High school.

Classes were canceled at all schools in the district for Wednesday, Dec. 4 and counseling services were made available for students in need.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation was tasked with leading the investigation into the shooting Tuesday morning.

CLICK HERE to read a letter to parents from Oshkosh Area School District

Waukesha South/North incidents

On Monday, Dec. 2, a resource officer at Waukesha South High School helped clear students out of a classroom after a 17-year-old student pointed a gun — it turned out to be a pellet gun — at another student’s head. Another police officer entered the room and shot the student. No one in either incident suffered life-threatening injuries.

Police said the student apparently grew angry with another student and pointed the pellet gun at that student.

On Monday afternoon, it was reported that a Waukesha North High School student was in possession of a firearm, and a school resource officer believed there was a possibility that student was inside the school.

The school was placed on lockdown and searched.

A 15-year-old boy was located in a residence on Gascoigne Drive in the City of Waukesha -- and was taken into custody.

Role of teachers, police in schools

The debate about the role of armed teachers or police in schools has been a constant in the wake of school shootings across the country. But rarely have armed resource officers been able to prevent a shooting.

An estimated 43% of public schools have armed officers on campus, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics. The survey covered the 2015-2016 school year, the most recent year surveyed. That figure doesn’t include schools with armed private security guards or teachers and administrators who carry guns.

The U.S. Department of Justice has adopted best practices for resource officers from the National Association of School Resources. Those guidelines call for resource officers to serve as police officers as well as teachers and mentors.

NASRO recommends such officers have three years of experience and says they should be willing to engage with students and have excellent communication skills. They should complete a school-based policing course before being assigned to the beat and complete an advanced school policing course NASRO provides within a year of completing the basic course. They also should complete bi-annual training on how lone officers should handle threats and assailants.

No Wisconsin laws spell out any special requirements for resource officers or restrictions on their weapons. But the state Department of Justice has adopted best practices similar to NASRO’s recommendations, calling for officers to work with schools on the extent of their duties, the skills they need, and where school discipline ends and illegal conduct begins. The state guidelines also suggest officers receive training in child development, restraint policies and de-escalation strategies.

Response to school shootings

As school shootings have become more frequent, gun rights advocates and gun control advocates have sparred over how best to respond to them. Supporters of gun restrictions have argued that putting more guns in schools does little to prevent shootings and just puts students at greater risk.

Last year, for example, armed guards at three high-profile school shootings — Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky; Majory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; and Santa Fe High School in Texas — were unable to stop those shootings. In Parkland, the school’s resource officer remained outside rather than enter the building to engage the shooter and try to stop it.

But gun-rights advocates believe having more armed educators and law enforcement in schools will help stop a shooter from going on a rampage.

Statements of reaction from officials

Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin

Governor Tony Evers

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor

Assembly Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh)

Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac)

Rep. Greta Neubauer (D-Racine)