MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Three die in new case of school shooting in the US

School shootings are a “uniquely American problem that we need to address,” Governor Whitmer said

Three pupils at a high school in Oxford in the state of Michigan were killed Tuesday, while six others ended up injured when a 15-year-old student pulled out a gun and started shooting randomly, according to police acting spokesman Michael McCabe.

”It is a very tragic situation (...), we have many upset parents,“ McCabe told Fox News television after the shooting at Oxford, a small town about 40 miles north of Detroit.

The suspect was arrested immediately and the gun taken away by law enforcement officers. ”There was no resistance during the arrest and the suspect has requested a lawyer,“ the sheriff's office said in a statement.

According to police sources, the suspect ”has not given any statement of motive.“

Police said they received more than 100 emergency calls to 911 shortly after noon, and that the shooter fired between 15 and 20 shots during about five minutes with a semi-automatic pistol, with more than one magazine of ammunition.

The suspect was taken into custody within five minutes of the first 911 call, according to authorities.

The shooter used his father's gun in the horrifying attack, it was reported. The teenager was a sophomore at the school. He killed a 16-year-old boy and two girls, aged 14 and 17, according to preliminary reports.

Local authorities later confirmed three people had died and multiple others were injured in the incident. A wounded teacher has been discharged from hospital, while seven children, aged between 14 and 17 were still being treated with gunshot wounds. One of the victims is a 14-year-old girl who is on a ventilator after surgery.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said they have yet to uncover a motive behind the shooting.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said, ”I think this is every parent's worst nightmare.“ She also stressed that school shootings in America are a ”uniquely American problem that we need to address.“

”My heart goes out to the families. This is an unimaginable tragedy. I hope we can all rise to the occasion and wrap our arms around the families, the affected children and school personnel, and this community,” Whitmer added.