Heroes emerge from shooting at Harrisburg High School

At a glance

A Harrisburg High School student entered the school Wednesday morning and got into a struggle with principal Kevin Lein. The student pulled out a gun and Lein was shot in the arm, police say.

Assistant principal Ryan Rollinger heard the gunshot and tackled the shooter, police say. Activities director Joey Struwe and Rollinger held the suspect down until police arrived.

No students were injured. The school was placed on lockdown and students were bused to the Harrisburg middle school for pickup after 11 a.m.

Lein was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon, his wife said.

School officials have stated that classes will resume tomorrow.

Ryan Rollinger ran toward the sound of a gun.

A shooting Wednesday in Harrisburg High School wounded the school's top administrator, but authorities said it could have been worse if not for Rollinger, the school's assistant principal.

The Harrisburg native, an assistant football coach and former player, tackled the teenage shooter and held him down with help from another staff member until police arrived. Rollinger's actions probably saved others from danger, said Jim Holbeck, superintendent of the Harrisburg School District.

"You really never know what this student would have done if they hadn't confronted him," Holbeck said. "If he already shot once, who knows?"

Counselors will be available to the school's 710 students when they return to classes today, less than 24 hours after the violent scene unfolded.

A student entered the school's main office and struggled with Principal Kevin Lein before taking out a handgun, police said. The student fired one shot, hitting Lein in the arm and leaving the principal with what Holbeck described as a "flesh wound."

No students were injured.

Police were called at about 10 a.m. and the school was placed on lockdown three minutes later.

"All the kids are safe, and that's really the main message here," Sioux Falls Police spokesman Sam Clemens said.

Students were evacuated and bused to Harrisburg's South Middle School at about 11 a.m. to be reunited with parents.

The shooting sparked a district-wide response. All other Harrisburg schools locked their doors when notified, going into a "shelter-in-place" response, Clemens said. At least one police officer responded to each school as a precaution.

Activities Director Joey Struwe helped Rollinger hold the student until police arrived.

Rollinger was visibly shaken, Holbeck said.

"I have a principal who suffered a bullet wound," Holbeck said. "I have an assistant principal who got a little roughed up."

Despite the scare, Lein seemed to be recovering from his injuries. His wife, Amy, said he was released from a hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Lein, an impassioned educator who has spent recent years making major changes in the classroom, used the intercom after the shooting to express his love for students.

Lein later called Holbeck from the hospital.

"He is in very good spirits," Holbeck said. "His first question was how am I doing, so that tells you a little bit about him."

The school's quick response started when staff pushed "panic buttons" to alert police the school was going into lockdown, and then called 911, Holbeck said.

Harrisburg educators conduct yearly drills to prepare for the worst, Holbeck said.

"For years we've been — schools have been trying to figure out how to prepare for this," Holbeck said. "And you hope it never happens in your backyard."

He said he was happy with the response, not with the events that led to the shooting.

"We certainly would change that people think about other options than using guns," Holbeck said. "And that's just a shame."

School officials asked parents to keep a safe distance before the lockdown ended. Parents were updated about response plans through the district's emergency alert system.

Chane Patten, 41, couldn't help but drive to the high school before he knew what would happen with his 15-year-old son, a freshman. He stood on a gravel path, south of the entrance to the school's parking lot.

"They asked parents to stay away," Patten said. "Which is kind of difficult to do."

A state patrol car and other vehicles blocked access to the lot. Sirens flashed in the distance as responders helped evacuate students and sweep the school grounds.

Police were in the early stages of the investigation but believe the student acted alone, Clemens said.

Authorities planned to announced charges Thursday morning.

Harrisburg School Board President Mike Knudson in an email complimented law enforcement and school officials for the response.

"Dr. Kevin Lein is a hero. Ryan Rollinger is a hero. Joey Struwe is a hero," Knudson wrote. "Hug your children. Thank your children's teachers and administrators for all they do."

Rollinger and Stuwe's actions put Jennifer McNamara at ease, not only in the wake of the shooting but for potential problems in the future. McNamara's daughter is a sophomore, and was in a common area when the shooting took place.

"We all know there's a big difference between someone who would run away from the danger and those who would run toward it," McNamara said. "You just feel better knowing we're sending our kids to a place where staff behaves that way."

Argus Leader reporters Joe Sneve, Megan Raposa, Matt Zimmer, David Nicholson, John Hult and Brenda Wade Schmidt contributed to this story

School shootings in South Dakota:

The Harrisburg shooting isn't the first time firearms have wounded people at a South Dakota school. Just after Christmas break in 1961, a Delmont High School student was fatally injured when he was accidentally struck with a .22-caliber bullet during a rehearsal of a school play, according to The Associated Press.

In May 2013, a Britton-Hecla student was injured in the school parking lot when a .22-caliber handgun, thought to be unloaded, went off and struck Brody Heitmann in the head, according to a Britton Journal article.

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