Information that can be released now is the Indiana State Police can confirm that shortly after 8 Thursday morning the Richmond PD dispatch center alerted area law enforcement agencies of a potential violent act that could occur at the Dennis Intermediate School in Richmond. Officers from multiple agencies responded to the school, which had already been placed on lockdown. As officers arrived, they confronted the teenage suspect outside the school who then reportedly shot out the glass of a locked entry door to the school, and ran inside with police officers in pursuit. The suspect, once in the school, and being pursued exchanged gunfire with police officers. The teenage suspect is deceased the result of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No officers were injured and it has not been determined if the suspect was wounded by police.
It is important to emphasize that due to the result of advance notification of the potential for a violent act at the school, the school had initiated their lockdown procedure which clearly prevented injury to students and faculty even though the suspect was able to enter the school.
We are aware that the public and media have many questions about what led up to this event. These are the same questions being asked by law enforcement. The Indiana State Police is the lead investigative agency and will continue to work with all law enforcement partners to gain a full understanding of all the circumstances and may release additional information at 1:30 Thursday afternoon.
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