Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor and Thomas S. Wootton High School Principal Dr. Joseph Bostic wrote a letter to the Wootton High School community Monday confirming that a student was injured in a shooting on campus and is currently in stable condition. The full letter is available below.
According to the letter, the incident involved two students and occurred during the school day. Once the situation was identified, school administrators immediately initiated a schoolwide lockdown and contacted 911. Law enforcement and emergency medical personnel arrived within minutes, provided medical care to the injured student, and secured the building.
Police conducted a comprehensive search of the school to ensure there was no ongoing threat. A suspect was quickly identified and taken into custody, and officers completed a thorough investigation of the campus before dismissal procedures began.
After law enforcement confirmed it was safe, students were transported to Frost Middle School, which served as the parent and child reunification site. School officials acknowledged that the reunification process can feel slow and stressful for families but emphasized that the process is intentionally careful to ensure students are released only to their parent or guardian of record.
The letter expressed gratitude to the Rockville City Police Department, the Montgomery County Department of Police, and emergency medical personnel for their swift and professional response, noting that their actions were critical in providing immediate care and ensuring safety during the incident.
School leaders emphasized that student and staff safety guided all decisions made throughout the day, even when those decisions required patience from families awaiting reunification.
Additional mental health resources and staff support will be available when students return to school on Tuesday. The school day will begin with an extended advisory and wellness period during Period 8 from 7:45am to 9:19am, allowing students time to process the events before transitioning to regular classes.
School officials noted that Tuesday will not be a normal instructional day and will instead focus on helping students and staff process what occurred. Parents were asked not to come to the school unless they have a previously scheduled meeting.
The letter concluded with expressions of support for the injured student and their family, as well as for the broader Wootton community as it works to heal following the incident.
Dear Wootton High School Families, Today is a heartbreaking and deeply unsettling day for our school community. We know that news like this creates fear and many unanswered questions, and our hearts are with every student, staff member, and family affected by what occurred.
We can confirm that today, one of our students was injured and is currently in stable condition after being shot by another student while on campus. As soon as the incident was identified, we immediately initiated a schoolwide lockdown and called 911. Emergency responders and law enforcement arrived within minutes and began providing medical care and securing the building. Police with multiple K-9 dogs thoroughly searched the school building to ensure it was safe for us to dismiss students and to allow us to use it on Tuesday.
Because student and staff safety was our highest priority, actions and decisions had to be made quickly and deliberately. With the support of school leaders, law enforcement identified a suspect promptly, and police located and arrested that individual. Officers then conducted a thorough investigation of the school to ensure the campus was safe before school leaders could proceed with dismissal and reunification.
We are deeply grateful to the Rockville City Police Department, the Montgomery County Department of Police, and the emergency medical technicians for their swift and professional response today. Their actions were critical in providing immediate care and securing the school during an incredibly difficult moment.
Once law enforcement confirmed it was safe to do so, students were transported to Frost Middle School, which served as the parent–child reunification site. We recognize that reunification can feel slow and incredibly stressful, especially when families are eager to see their children. This process is intentionally careful and deliberate by design. Each student is reunited only with their parent or guardian of record, and every step is taken to ensure that each child leaves safely with the correct adult.
We know how difficult it is to wait during moments like this, and we deeply appreciate the patience and understanding shown by families as staff and emergency responders worked through this process with care. Our priority throughout today has been to protect students, share information as it was verified, and reunite families safely, even when that meant moving more slowly than anyone would wish.
Our hearts remain with the injured student and their family, and with all members of the Wootton community who are processing today’s events. We will have mental health resources and extra staff on-site on Tuesday to support students and staff. Students will begin the day in Period 8 from 7:45 – 9:19, which will include an extended advisory/wellness period to ensure students have time and support before transitioning to Period 1. We fully recognize that tomorrow will not be a normal day, but will need to be a day to help us all process and understand what occurred at Wootton High School today. We ask parents that unless they have any scheduled meetings, not to come to the school tomorrow.
Thomas W. Taylor Ed.D. M.B.A.
Superintendent of SchoolsDr. Joseph Bostic
Principal,
Thomas S. Wootton High School
