Statement From Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on the Shooting at Col. Zadok Magruder High School

Per Montgomery County:

For Immediate Release: Friday 21 January

Today’s incident at Col. Zadok Magruder High School is tragic and saddening. My thoughts are with the student victim in the shooting, and I hope for a speedy recovery. I also am concerned about the other students, faculty, and staff due to the fear and trauma they lived through today. I encourage anyone who needs assistance to utilize the counseling being provided by Montgomery County Public Schools.

I am grateful to the principal, other faculty, staff, and students of Magruder for their quick and decisive action to contain the situation, which led to no one else being injured or harmed. I am especially grateful to Magruder’s School Health Nurse Megan Wilson for her lifesaving actions that directly helped save the injured student. I also want to thank the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, Police and Sheriff’s Departments for their response and handling of the situation. This was a very delicate situation, but it was dealt with by a group of professionals who did what they have been trained to do. Lives were saved because of their efforts, and for this I am grateful.

Now this matter is in the hands of Chief Marcus Jones and our very capable Police Department. I am confident they will find the cause of this incident and determine exactly what transpired. The safety of our students, faculty, and staff in our schools is a very high priority, and I am committed to working with Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight, the Board of Education, Montgomery County Police Department, and the County Council to reduce the chances of this ever happening again in Montgomery County.