7-year-old injures hand after accidentally discharging firearm in Maryland classroom

A 7-year-old student was injured Wednesday after a firearm accidentally discharged inside a classroom at Freetown Elementary School in Maryland, authorities said.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department said the second grade student, who had the firearm, injured his hand when the weapon discharged. 

Other students were present in the classroom, but no additional injuries were reported.

The Anne Arundel County Public Schools said on X that it is working with police and providing support services to students following the incident.

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"The school will dismiss all students at 11:15 a.m. today. Bus riders will be transported home via the normal routes. If you need to make alternate arrangements for your student, please call the school. We will provide additional information as we get it," the district said Wednesday.

WBAL-TV 11 reported the student sustained a non-life-threatening injury and was taken to the hospital.

"A student had a firearm in his possession, a second grade student, in a classroom. That firearm discharged at a certain point," Anne Arundel County police spokesman Justin Mulcahy told the outlet.

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Mulcahy said officers received calls around 8:30 a.m of shots fired and were able to arrive at the school within six minutes.

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Police said the teacher acted immediately to secure the firearm and assist the injured child.

"A 7-year-old child gained access to a firearm, discharged it in a school, a classroom filled with children. We should not be having this press conference with you right now," Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad told WBAL-TV 11. "How did a 7-year-old baby get ahold of a firearm and make it all the way to school?"

Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bedell told the local station that the decision to dismiss students early was made because "there's a lot of trauma."

"Not only within the students who were in this building, but also the faculty and staff," Bedell said. "I can assure you that my reaction would have been exactly what these parents were reacting, filled with a boatload of fear."

The school official said Freetown Elementary would be open on Thursday as scheduled.