1 hurt, 1 in custody in school shooting

A 16-year-old student at Cardozo High School in Northwest was shot in the leg yesterday by another student during an argument inside the building.
A 15-year-old student was taken into custody at about 12:15 p.m. in a basement hallway near the school’s cafeteria.
An emergency medical crew called to the school at 13th and Clifton streets NW could not locate the victim. They found the wounded boy at a nearby hospital where he had sought help on his own.
Police recovered a handgun at the scene.
The incident was caught on videotape by the school’s security system but raised concerns among parents and students about the metal detectors installed to detect firearms and other weapons.
“We have tried, under sometimes difficult circumstances, to institute a level of security that protects everyone at each school. Following an incident of this nature, we will redouble our efforts to make all our schools secure,” Superintendent Paul L. Vance said.
Police were investigating the cause of the dispute and did not identify the two teenagers involved.
The 15-year-old suspected of firing the shot turned himself in at the 1st District police station in Southwest and was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
No other students, staff or faculty were injured during the altercation, a D.C. school spokesman said. The building was locked down after the shooting.
Reginald Ballard, principal of the 800-student high school, called a meeting with parents after the shooting. Mr. Ballard appeared calm as he addressed approximately 25 parents in the school’s auditorium at 6:30 p.m.
Mr. Ballard acknowledged problems with Cardozo’s security system.
Among parents’ questions that Mr. Ballard fielded: How could a gun get through the metal detectors? Were there security cameras? Were children were allowed outdoors during lunch hours?
That last question is of special concern because, as the principal acknowledged, 16 doors at the school can be propped open from inside, allowing students to enter without going through the metal detectors.
Mr. Ballard said the detectors are at the front of the building on Clifton Street. Five security guards are assigned to the school. One monitors the entrance and the other four patrol the halls.
“Two police officers are assigned as resource officers, but the officers were not present yesterday,” Mr. Ballard said.
“I think this would not have happened if [resource officers] were here today,” he said. “I don’t expect to ever have anything near this happen again.”
Eight years ago, Antar A. Hall, 16, a Cardozo student, was shot and killed by a 14-year-old inside the school. The freshman used a .380-caliber pistol given to him by another Cardozo student.
Desmond Holeman, 17, an 11th-grader at the school who recently transferred from Landon School in Bethesda, said security is a lot tighter at Cardozo than at his former school.
“Each school has its own problems. A lot of the kids are wondering what they are going to do in the aftermath of this,” Desmond said. The junior said he was not surprised by the shooting and pointed to the Columbine High School murders.
Desmond’s father, Larry, said he was concerned about the shooting.
“Obviously, the security here is not working,” Mr. Holeman said.
Matthew Cella contributed to this report.