Police said in a Tuesday evening press conference that 15-year-old Bailey Nicole Holt died on the scene, and 15-year-old Preston Ryan Cope died from his injuries at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
Police adjusted their totals Tuesday night, saying that a total of 18 others were injured, with 14 of them suffering gunshot wounds. Five of them were taken to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. Police say four others were injured as they fled the scene*.
Of the 20 victims, 14 are male and 6 are female, and they range in age from 14-18 years old. Of the four remaining victims at Vanderbilt, three are in critical but stable condition and one is in stable condition.
None of the names of the injured students were released. However, Special Olympics of Kentucky posted a get well greeting on Facebook to Daniel Austin. The 17-year-old with special needs had surgery on his arm after being shot, according to a family member on social media.
Marshall County Schools notified their district that several counseling services have reached out to them to offer services free of charge. Two locations will be used:
1. Marshall County Extension Office at 1933 Mayfield Highway in Benton. Many needs-related issues (students who lost items at the schools, etc.)
2. The Old Pepsi Plant at 1531 US HWY 641 in Benton, which will be used as a grief counseling center.
Both places will be open 9:00 am to 3:00 each day Wednesday thru Friday. They will add more locations if the need arises.
In the press conference, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rick Sanders said the Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team has been on the scene through the day. They have been helped by FBI evidence technicians and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Sanders said, "This crime scene will be worked for the next few days. They're still there tonight. We'll be back tomorrow and for the next couple of days following."
Police say at 7:57 am the student walked into the school with a pistol in his hand and immediately opened fire. First responders were dispatched at 7:59, and were there less than ten minutes later. A School Resource Officer was at the school at the time, and a member of the Marshall County Sheriff's Department took the 15-year-old into custody without a struggle. Sanders said the teen will be charged with two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder.
(*State Police initially said Tuesday evening there were 2 dead, 12 others shot and 5 other injuries. Those numbers were corrected about 9 pm and are reflected above)
On the Net:
Original StoryCourtesy Link to KFVS for use of Press Conference Audio
