One person reported dead after US school shooting

A gunman has opened fire at a high school in Santee in California, wounding several students.

There are unconfirmed reports that a student has died in the shooting at a San Diego school.

At least 11 people are believed to have been injured in the shooting at Santana High School, including a policeman and a school administrator.

The policeman is reported to have been shot in the leg.

A police spokesman told reporters officers arrived at the school to find injured students fleeing the scene.

One man, believed to be a 17-year-old student at the school, has been arrested. Witnesses say he used a small handgun and fired several shots in the boys' changing room area of the school and hallway.

Youngsters were evacuated by sheriff's deputies to a nearby shopping centre.

"I heard gunfire and I heard people screaming," student Alicia Zimmer told local TV station KGTV.

She said she froze with fright until her boyfriend pushed her out of the way: "I dropped my stuff; it's still there right in the middle of the hall. It was really scary."

She said she did not see the gun but witnessed one girl with blood on her arm and a boy lying face down on the floor. The shots "sounded more like a cap gun than anything," she added.

A police spokesman said: "We don't know the weapon involved as yet. And we don't know if there is more than one suspect."

He said it was difficult to say exactly how many students had been injured as some of them had left the scene and fled to nearby homes for help.

Witnesses say the teenager has bragged to fellow students about having a gun and has previously made threats about carrying out a shooting.

Parents are making their way to a local shopping centre to be reunited with their children.

Armed officers are carrying out a search of the school and surrounding areas. Bomb squad experts have also been brought in as a precaution.