Parents at the Armin Jahr Elementary School in Bremerton, Seattle are reeling today after 8-year-old Amina Bowman was accidentally shot Wednesday afternoon by another student.
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According to police, a student brought a gun to school and it discharged while in his backpack. The bullet went through the bag striking Amina.
According to News 5, Bowman was shot once in the arm and the bullet continued into her side missing all the vital organs.
Bowman was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center, where she underwent surgery just minutes after arriving.
She made it through exploratory surgery fine but faces additional surgeries, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said.
She is in critical condition, but friends and family gave a ‘thumbs up’ signal to reporters as they left the hospital late Wednesday.
Cindy Kocer, Bowman’s grandmother, told News 5 that she was watching TV of the shooting just before learning her granddaughter was involved.
“She will pull through, if I can make a plea to all my CFC [Couples for Christ] families, please pray for her. That’s all I need. That’s all we need.”
A teacher working in the office said the shooting happened in a classroom around 1:30 p.m.
The school was placed under lockdown. Lt. Fisher said police did a sweep of the school after taking the student into custody, then worked with the district to reunite students and parents.
“I heard a like a gunshot, and I was really scared,” said 5th grader Kaytley Clark.
Her mother, Alish Picking, was one of the first parents at the school. Picking’s first inclination that something might be wrong was the sight of police cars flying past her house converging at the school.
“I ran out there, and I knew something was wrong,” said Picking.
The teacher in the classroom at the time spent tonight with her grandchildren according to her husband.
“She’s doing a lot better. She got through it…very brave,” said Bill Poss. “She rode to the hospital with the little girl…I think she’s going to be OK.”
The student who brought the gun has been taken into custody and booked into the Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Center for unlawful possession of a firearm, bringing a dangerous weapon onto school grounds and assault in the 3rd degree.
Police are still investigating how the 9-year-old student got ahold of the gun.
Armin Jahr Elementary has about 400 students and serves kindergarten through fifth grade students.
Bremerton Schools spokeswoman Patty Glaser said the school will reopen Thursday and three counselors will talk to teachers, students and parents.
