Anderson (S.C.) Independent Mail

TOWNVILLE, S.C. — A 14-year-old boy opened fire with a handgun at a school playground injuring two children and a teacher Wednesday afternoon before he was stopped by a longtime volunteer firefighter, authorities said.

Two 6-year-old boys were wounded, one critically, along with a teacher at Townville Elementary School while Jeffrey Osborne, the father of the teenager, was found shot to death at a home about three and a half miles away, said Captain Garland Major of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office and Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore.

One of the children and the teacher, Meghan Hollingsworth, were released hours later from AnMed Health Medical Center.

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The firefighter who stopped the shooting, Jamie Brock, has been in the fire service for about 30 years, said Chief Deputy Keith Smith.

Brock was either not armed or did not use a weapon, Smith said, and it was not clear whether the shooter's gun had a malfunction that allowed Brock to apprehend the teenager.

The shooter is believed to be 14 years old and officials could charge him as a minor, Smith said.

The teenager was home-schooled and was not a student in the Anderson County School District, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Emergency medical workers and firefighters, in addition to Brock, saved lives at the school, said Taylor Jones, Anderson County Emergency Services Director.

"We had hoped we'd never use this training," he said.

Classes were canceled at the school, said Joanne Avery, Anderson County District 4 superintendent Joanne Avery said.

She said the school has locking doors on its classrooms and cameras that will be used in the investigation.

Avery said counseling will be made available to students, who will be contacted through alerts from the school.

"This is a very difficult time," she said.

Major, the sheriff's captain, said the victims and the alleged shooter are all white and law enforcement does not suspect any racial motivation. The shooting is also believed to have nothing to do with terrorism, Major said.

About 280 students were taken to a nearby church, where they were reunited with their families.

A SWAT team cleared the school building after the shooting, which was reported by a teacher at 1:45 p.m. ET.

Officials were at the school within seven minutes.

The shooting of Osborne, 47, was reported by his family shortly after the school shooting was reported, police said.

The teen, crying and upset, called his grandmother’s cellphone at 1:44 p.m., Shore said. The grandparents couldn’t understand what was going on, so they went to his home just 100 yards away. When they got there, they found Osborne had been shot and their grandson was not there.

Sheriff John Skipper said the shooter pulled into the school parking lot and immediately started firing as he got out of the vehicle and moved toward the school.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott expressed concerns on social media Wednesday afternoon.

"My heart is sick for Anderson&South Carolina," he tweeted. "Praying initial reports of no loss of life remain true & for those injured and their families."

Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement of support via Twitter.

Townville Elementary School is in Pendleton-based Anderson County School District 4. It has 286 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The school is at 105 Townville School Road, off S.C. 24 near Lake Hartwell and the Georgia state line.

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow the Anderson Independent Mail on Twitter: @independentmail