Police say high school student shot self at Forsyth Tech Community College in NC

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — One person was shot Thursday morning at Forsyth Tech Community College, prompting an hourslong lockdown and the cancelation of classes, according to police and school officials.

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Students, staff members, faculty and visitors were ordered to shelter in place after reports of the shooting surfaced around 10:10 a.m.

Update at 9:05 p.m. March 30: During a news conference Thursday evening, the Winston-Salem Police Department said investigators learned that the shots were fired from a bathroom on the second floor of the Strickland Building on the Forsyth Tech Community College, according to WSOC.

Investigators said the man, an 18-year-old, was a student from Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy and say he shot himself, WSOC reported. It is not yet clear if the shooting was accidental or intentional.

Capt. Shelley Lovejoy identified the student at Shannon Howard James Pitts, the news outlet reported. Lovejoy says charges are being considered for Pitts having a gun on campus.

Pitts’ injuries are reportedly non-life-threatening, WSOC reported.

- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Update 3:50 p.m. March 30: Police confirmed that a man was shot at Forsyth Tech Community College. The man’s wound was not considered life-threatening, Winston-Salem Police Capt. Shelley Lovejoy said.

At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, Lovejoy emphasized that the shooting was “not an active shooter situation.” Earlier, college officials warned people to shelter in place, writing in a social media post, “We are experiencing an active shooter situation.”

“The investigation is active and ongoing so we’re still determining exactly what happened,” Lovejoy said. “I can tell you there’s not an active shooter situation. This was not that, and we do not believe that we have anyone at large that is a danger to the community.”

Police did not immediately say where the shooting happened Thursday or identify the victim by name or age. It was not clear whether he was a student at the school.

Update 1:55 p.m. EDT March 30: Forsyth Tech Community College will be closed at all of its locations through the end of the week following a shooting reported at the school’s main campus on Thursday.

Update 1:20 p.m. EDT March 30: Officials with the Winston-Salem Police Department, Forsyth Tech Campus Police and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office were working Thursday afternoon to release people who were sheltering in place one building at a time, college officials said.

Students from several high schools were at the campus on Thursday, including from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Stokes County Schools, officials said. They were all accounted for and safe following the shooting, according to officials and WSOC-TV.

Authorities continue to investigate.

Original report: Officials at Forsyth Tech Community College urged students, faculty and staff members to shelter in place following reports of a shooting on campus Thursday morning.

College officials said in a post on social media that the school was “experiencing an active shooter situation.” However, the Winston-Salem Police Department said in a subsequent Twitter post that there was “no active shooter on the campus of Forsyth Tech.”

“There is still an active investigation on the campus,” police said. “There are no other threats to any other schools in the area.”

Authorities said they learned of a reported shooting on the college campus at 10:10 a.m. Officers confirmed to WSOC-TV that shots had been fired.

“Our officers are on scene and assisting,” police said in a Twitter post on Thursday morning.

In a message from Forsyth Tech obtained by WSOC, officials said authorities were searching for two men who were described as “armed and dangerous.” Police did not immediately confirm they were looking for two suspects, the news station reported.

Check back for updates to this developing story.