(CNN) A North Carolina high school freshman was charged with first-degree murder after he fatally shot a fellow student, police said Monday.

The shooting in the hallway of Butler High School in Matthews stemmed from a fight between the victim and the suspect, said Matthews Police Capt. Stason Tyrrell. Initial reports indicate that the conflict started with bullying that spiraled out of control, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox.

"And as fear took over, a young person bought a gun to solve the problems," Wilcox said.

Stason Tyrrell of Matthews, North Carolina police

Tyrrell identified the victim as a 16-year-old Bobby McKeithen, a sophomore. The suspect, Jatwan Craig Cuffie, also 16, is in the Mecklenburg County jail, he said.

The shooting happened just before the final bell rang for students to go into their classrooms, according to Tyrrell.

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