Police are still trying to determine what motivated a teen to take two dozen people hostage at Marinette High School. Police Chief Jeff Skorik said the gunman did not shed light on his motive for what became a five hour standoff.
It began when the 15-year-old fired several shots during a movie in a Western Civilization class near the end of the school day Monday. He then held 23 other students and a teacher captive in the classroom.
Student hostage Zach Campbell said nobody could call from the classroom. Campbell said the captor demanded that the students drop their cell phones in the middle of the room and the gunman broke his own phone when it started to ring.
While updating reporters this morning, Skorik said the teen opened fire prior to police arriving. He said the boy refused to speak with the hostage negotiator during that time.
Meanwhile students tried to calm down the gunman by getting him to joke-and-laugh about things he likes such as hunting and fishing.
Around 7:30 the teen let five hostages leave for the restroom. Twenty later when officers stormed the classroom after hearing three shots. The gunman had shot and wounded himself while the others were unharmed. He is described as having a life threatening injury.
Former teacher Keith Schroeder told the Green Bay Press-Gazette the gunman was having problems at school, but he would not elaborate. He said the troubled teen has a tremendous family and with his support system, Schroeder said he was at a loss to give a motive. The former teacher called the gunman a victim and something had to push him.
AUDIO: Skorik credits a previous training exercise (:43)
UPDATE: Officials say the suspect, 15-year-old Samuel O. Hengel, was pronounced dead at 10:44 Tuesday morning. He was a sophomore at Marinette High School.