MINNEAPOLIS — A student on a remote Indian reservation in Minnesota burst through the metal detector at his high school Monday and shot dead five classmates, a teacher and a security guard before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.
Before his rampage at the school, the student shot and killed his grandparents at their home on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, authorities said.
His grandfather, Sgt. Daryl Lussier, had served for more than 35 years on the Red Lake police force.
"The boy took his grandfather's duty belt with the guns. That's what he used," said Roman Stately, the Red Lake fire director.
It was the deadliest school shooting since the carnage six years ago at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. In that incident, two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher before committing suicide.
Stately described a devastating scene at the small high school in Red Lake.
The school's security guard, who was unarmed, was dead at the front door. The slain students and teacher were bunched in one classroom, along with several wounded teenagers.
The gunman, an underclassman, had shot himself in the face. His body lay near those of his victims.
Authorities said as many as 15 students were injured.
"It was just so sad to see the children lying on the floor like that, lying on top of each other. Just a terrible sight," Stately said. "I've seen a lot of bad scenes in my time, but nothing like this."
The FBI, which is investigating the shooting along with tribal police, would not speculate on a motive.
"It will probably take the rest of the night to put it all together," FBI Special Agent Paul McCabe said. "We still have a lot of work to do."
Though rumors swirled through the reservation, few could attempt to explain the bloodshed.
"I don't understand it," said Darrell Seki Jr., a security guard at North County Regional Hospital in nearby Bemidji, where six of the victims were taken.
"We can't believe what's going on," Seki said. "I can't think right now, I'm so shocked."
Seki attended Red Lake High School; his father is the treasurer of the Red Lake Tribal Council.
Darrell Seki Sr. said he arrived at the high school shortly after the shootings.
"All I saw was kids running around crying, hugging each other, parents crying, teachers crying," he said. "A tough, tough day."
