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MINUTE-BY-MINUTE: Butler High School shooting

Live updates in the immediate aftermath of a shooting on the campus of Butler High School in Matthews.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — 3:50 p.m. Matthews Police give timeline of events that occurred:

  • At about 7:14 a.m. the school resource officer (SRO) and other security officials were in the cafeteria area when they heard a commotion in a hallway adjoined to the cafeteria.
  • They moved towards the area as students fled and located the victim and began rendering aid within 15 to 20 seconds of the shooting.
  • Immediately the SRO radioed on his school radio to place the school on lockdown and radioed on his police radio that a school shooting had occurred. This was within a minute of the incident taking place.
  • A SRO who was directing traffic outside the school immediately entered the building as did a nearby officer within a minute or two of the incident.
  • Between five to seven minutes after the shooting a teacher was able to get the word out that she was with the shooter and he had admitted what he had done and was ready to surrender.
  • At around 7:25 a.m. four officers were already in the school, the location of the suspect was given to them and they took him into custody.

3:46 p.m. Matthews Police: The suspect was identified as Jaytawn Cuffie, 16, a 9th grade student at Butler. The victim has been identified as Bobby McKeithen, 16, a 10th grade student at Butler.

3:40 p.m. The incident at Butler High started as bullying that escalated out of control and a young person brought a gun to solve the problem, Dr. Clayton Wilcox

2:18 p.m. Students who remained at Butler High school dismissed for the day. There will be an all staff meeting at the school at 2:30 p.m.

11:10 a.m. Matthews Police and CMS schedule a 3:30 p.m. news conference to release more details on the school shooting

10:35 a.m. At some point CMS will make a decision about what to do with students who remain on campus at Butler and what to do about school Tuesday, according to Dr. Clayton Wilcox.

There are some areas where security failed. Wilcox said they don't actively search every backpack.

10:30 a.m. The student shot at Butler High School has died, according to Captain Stason Tyrrell of the Matthews Police Department. It started as a fight between two students in the hallway. Both the shooter and the victim are students at Butler High School, according to Tyrrell. The suspect was taken into custody by the school resource officer.

10:01 a.m. Students will be kept at the school until parents can pick them up. Staff will remain on campus through the end of the day.

9:50 a.m. Parents are standing in a single file line outside the school receiving a green piece of paper to sign their child out.

9:42 a.m. Dr. Clayton Wilcox talks to NBC Charlotte's Mark Boyle and says the shooting is an active investigation. The shooting happened in a main hallway and kids going to class witnessed the shooting. Wilcox said police continue to talk to students who witnessed the shooting and counselors are at the school to talk to students if they wish. Wilcox said he believes both the shooter and the victim are "students at CMS."

Wilcox said there was a breakdown in communication with the parents. "I understand that parents were upset, but we tried to have an orderly dismissal process."

9:35 a.m. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Dr. Clayton Wilcox gives an update on the school shooting. Wilcox said the student is in surgery.

9:34 a.m. The victim in the school shooting is listed in critical condition at the hospital, according to Matthews Police

9:31 a.m. Some parents are able to get inside the school to sign a green piece of paper to sign their child out of the classroom.

9:27 a.m. Some students walk out of Butler High School in tears as they are reunited with their parents.

9:21 a.m. CMS confirms the lockdown has been lifted and parents can go to the school to pick up students.

9:20 a.m. A sea of parents continue to wait outside the school for their children to be released from school.

9:15 a.m. A group of students say they broke through the doors to get out of the school to hundreds of parents waiting outside.

8:50 a.m. Frustrated parents march toward the campus of Butler High School from Elevation Church. They cross Highway 74 at confront police barricades before marching onto the school's campus.

8:27 a.m. Parents arrive at Elevation Church in Matthews. Parents say they received a text message from CMS that says they can sign students out of class beginning at 8:50 a.m.

8:09 a.m. CMS tweets an alert in reference to the shooting

7:54 a.m. Matthews Police confirm the victim in the shooting is a Butler High student. The suspect is identified as a student at the school also. Detectives have not named the suspect or updated the victim's condition.

7:44 a.m. Detectives say the shooter is in custody after the shooting. The shooter's weapon is in the possession of police and there is no immediate threat to Butler High School's campus. The scene is secure, according to police.

7:42 a.m. Matthews Police confirm one person was shot on the campus of Butler High School in Matthews. The victim was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Shortly after 7 a.m. NBC Charlotte learns of an incident at Butler High School. Emergency crews are dispatched to the scene.

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