GREENVILLE, S.C. (NewsNation) — A 12-year-old student died after being shot by another student at a South Carolina middle school Thursday, authorities said.
A police officer at Tanglewood Middle School in Greenville called in the shooting and requested emergency backup around 12:30 p.m.
Not long after the shooting, authorities arrested the 12-year-old male shooter after locating him hiding under a deck.
The shooting took place in the front part of the school; the victim and shooter knew each other, according to the Greenville County Sheriff ‘s Office.
“My heart breaks for this young boy’s family and my prayers are with them tonight,” Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said. “Additionally, I will be praying for the other young boy who pulled the trigger and his family. I can not fathom what would cause someone to do this to another human being and especially at that age, but I know it’s a situation where we all need to turn to God.”
The boy is charged with murder, possession of a firearm at a school and possession of a weapon by someone younger than 18. He was taken to a juvenile prison in Columbia, Lewis said.
The family of the boy killed released a statement saying he was Jamari Cortez Bonaparte Jackson and asking people to respect their privacy as they grieve.
“We are all devastated by today’s tragedy. We love Jamari dearly,” the family said in a statement released by community justice group Fighting Injustice Together.
Authorities are working to determine a motive and how the gunman accessed a weapon.
No other students were injured.