A 16-year-old Howard High School student is dead after being shot near the school's campus Tuesday morning.
Howard High School Principal Paul Smith confirmed that the victim is a student. NewsChannel 9 learned the victim's name from multiple people on the scene, including relatives, but Chattanooga police have not officially released his name.
The shooting happened at approximately 10:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of Carr Street. Relatives of the victim told NewsChannel 9's Alyssa Spirato that he was chased from the school's campus by the gunman and tried to hide in a nearby abandoned house.
Chattanooga police have charged 18-year-old Courtney Birt with criminal homicide.
Howard High School was initially put on lockdown during the aftermath. Many parents were at the school Tuesday morning, concerned about their children inside, but Smith said the gunman was never inside the building.
The area around Carr Street remains closed off with crime scene tape as the investigation continues.
This article is published with permission of NewsChannel 9.
Updated @ 12:49 p.m. on 3/5/13 to add more information as it became available.
Updated @ 2:06 p.m. on 3/5/13 to add more information as it became available.
