Staff at Perry Traditional Academy on Pittsburgh's North Side will return to school Thursday, two days after gunshots were fired outside the school. No one was injured and a suspect has since been taken into custody.
The school switched to synchronous remote learning Wednesday after shots were fired outside the school on Tuesday morning. Students will return to the school on Friday.
District officials said the phased reentry would ensure a smooth transition back to in-person learning. Administrators also they are also working closely with police and community violence prevention groups to support students’ safety and well-being.
According to court documents, 17-year-old Micaiah Wheeler of Forest Hills faces multiple charges, including eight counts of attempted homicide and possession of a weapon on school property. Wheeler was denied bail.
Wheeler is not currently a Pittsburgh Public Schools student, district spokesperson Ebony Pugh said. Several scouting sites, however, list him as part of Perry's football roster and a member of the Class of 2026.
No one was injured, though the school building sustained some damage.
Department of Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne said several students were heading into the school when police responded to the 3900 block of Baytree St., the intersection leading to Perry, just after 8 a.m.
A preliminary investigation of security camera footage indicated that a young male was the target of the shots fired, which prompted an 11-round ShotSpotter alert. Shell casings were recovered, though neither the target nor anyone else was injured.
Bullet damage to the school included two broken windows and some damage to the building’s brickwork.
There is no ongoing risk to students at the school, which initially went into lockdown. Pugh said the school was operated under “secure status”, which requires staff to lock all outside doors and no one is allowed in or out of the building, through the end of the school day Tuesday.
Students followed their regular class schedules online Wednesday. The decision to switch to remote learning came out of an abundance of caution, Pugh said, as well as to provide school administration time to assess the needs of students and staff.
WESA's Susan Scott Peterson contributed to this report.
