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3 dead, 8 injured in Michigan high school shooting

Nov. 30 (UPI) -- At least three people died and eight others were injured Tuesday in a shooting at a southeast Michigan high school, sheriff's officials said.

All three of the deceased victims were students at Oxford High School -- a 14-year-old female, a 16-year-old male and a 17-year-old female, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said.

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The office said deputies arrested the suspected shooter -- a 15-year-old sophomore student at the school -- and recovered a handgun. They don't believe there were any other shooters involved.

"There was no resistance during the arrest and the suspect has asked for a lawyer and has not made any statements as to a motive," a statement from the sheriff's office said.

The suspected shooter was uninjured and was being held at Oakland County Children's Village.

Undersheriff Mike McCabe said about 15 to 20 shots were fired during the shooting.

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"The whole thing lasted 5 minutes," he said during a news conference.

Officials received reports of an active shooter at the school in Oxford Township at 12:51 p.m. Oxford Township is located about 35 miles northwest of Detroit.

"We have multiple units and multiple EMS units on the scene along with SWAT and the aviation unit," a statement from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said.

The sheriff's office said eight people, including a teacher, were injured by gunshot wounds. Six were in stable condition and two others were in surgery.

"Pray for our families here in Oxford and our students," Oxford Community Schools Superintendent Tim Thorne said.

President Joe Biden told reporters before giving a speech in Minnesota that he has been informed of the shooting and that "my heart goes out to the families enduring the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one."

Biden added that the suspect had turned himself in and "claimed his right against self-incrimination and handed over his pistol."

"That's all that we know about it," he said. "But you've got to know that that whole community has to be just in a state of shock right now."

The Detroit News reported that students were evacuated from the school and were reunited with parents and guardians at a nearby grocery store.

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered flags lowered in the state.

"I'm devastated for the students, teachers, staff, and families of Oxford High School. The death of multiple students and shooting of others, including a teacher, is horrific. My heart is with the parents who had their children taken from them and with the entire Oxford community," she said.

"We have a responsibility to do all we can to protect each other, and we have the tools to reduce gun violence. No one should be afraid to go to school, work, a house of worship, or even their own home. This is a time for us to come together and help children feel safe at school."

U.S. Rep Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who represents the community in the U.S. House of Representatives, said she was en route to Michigan.

"This is a dark & painful day for Michigan. I send my deepest condolences to the families of the three students who have lost their lives -- they have received the worst news any parent can ever imagine," she said in a statement.

"We must continue to pray and hope for the additional students and teacher who have been injured, and for the students who are in shock right now. They will somehow have to make sense of one of their peers doing this to them."

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