Student dies as ‘outcast’ teen opens fire in school cafeteria

A teenager described as an outcast at his suburban Cleveland high school opened fire in the cafeteria yesterday, killing one student and wounding four others before being caught a short distance away, authorities said.

A student who saw the attack close-up said it appeared the gunman targeted a group of students sitting at a cafeteria table and that the one who was killed was trying to duck under the table.

Panicked students screamed and ran through the halls after gunfire broke out at the start of the school day at 1,100-student Chardon High, about 40km from Cleveland. The suspect, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, was arrested near his car a kilometre away.