All 26 hostages taken, including 25 students and one teacher, were unharmed
MARINETTE -- A 15-year-old student who held his class hostage Monday has died from his injuries.
Marinette 10th grader Samuel Hengel shot himself after police forcefully entered the classroom just after 8 p.m. central time Monday night. He was pronounced dead Tuesday morning.
All 26 hostages were released unharmed. Tuesday, police clarified the total number of students involved in the incident. Initially 25 students and one teacher were taken hostage between 1:30 and 2:15 p.m.
Nobody was aware of the hostage situation until Principal Corry Lambie went to check on a missing student at 3:45 p.m. Hengel told Lambie to leave the classroom but released the missing student. Hengel then released five hostages at 7:40 p.m. who needed to use the bathroom.
At 8:03 p.m. police forcefully entered the classroom after three shots were fired inside. Police aren't saying what those shots were fired at.
Hengel then shot himself and died from his injuries.
The remaining 19 students and one teacher were released unharmed.
"The response went as planned, although you can never plan for every contingency,” said Marinette Police Chief Jeffrey Skorik. “I think the overwhelming support that we received from our law enforcement partners and our other community support people were fantastic."
Police and school officials praised teacher Valerie Burd for how she handled the situation. Burd spoke directly to police during the hostage situation and worked to keep the students and Hengel calm.
"I don't have enough words to describe what Val Burd went through,” Lambie said. “She saved the lives of many students by her calm demeanor and her heroic way. I think her leadership in the classroom was the calming attitude that the students needed."
Both police and school officials said they had no problems with Hengel, and they don't believe there were any warning signs to prevent the incident.
Marinette High School will reopen Wednesday.