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| Fatal shooting at US Amish school | Fatal shooting at US Amish school |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A number of people have been shot dead in a gun attack at an Amish school in the US state of Pennsylvania. | A number of people have been shot dead in a gun attack at an Amish school in the US state of Pennsylvania. |
| The attack happened at a one-room school in the town of Nickel Mines in Lancaster County. | The attack happened at a one-room school in the town of Nickel Mines in Lancaster County. |
| "There are a number of people dead," Police Cpl Ralph Striebig said. "The exact number I do not know yet." | "There are a number of people dead," Police Cpl Ralph Striebig said. "The exact number I do not know yet." |
| TV footage has shown dozens of emergency workers carrying victims on stretchers, watched by anxious members of the Amish community. | TV footage has shown dozens of emergency workers carrying victims on stretchers, watched by anxious members of the Amish community. |
| The Amish are Anabaptist Christians who live away from the modern world, with restrictions on the use of modern devices such as cars and telephones. | |
| Jack Lewis, a spokesman from Pennsylvania state police, told CNN that an unidentified gunman walked into the school. | |
| Mr Lewis said the gunman reportedly ordered some of the children to leave and some to stay. | Mr Lewis said the gunman reportedly ordered some of the children to leave and some to stay. |
| He is then reported to have opened fire on the remaining children before turning the gun on himself. | He is then reported to have opened fire on the remaining children before turning the gun on himself. |
| The school has pupils up to the age of 14 and is believed to have been used by about 20-30 children. | |
| Police have sealed off the area around the small rural town, about 60 miles (100km) north of the city of Baltimore. | Police have sealed off the area around the small rural town, about 60 miles (100km) north of the city of Baltimore. |
| Week of violence | |
| John Eby from WDAC radio based in Lancaster County told the BBC that the Amish community would be deeply shocked by the attack. | |
| "This school is a one room school, it's surrounded by farms and small businesses, many of them owned and operated by the Amish who are a very close, tight-knit community and for something like this to invade their community is just unbelievable," he said. | |
| FACTS ABOUT THE AMISH Anabaptist Christian denominationCommunities in the US and CanadaMany communities reject links to outside worldMost Amish shun modern technology including electricity and carsPlain clothing - no buttons allowed in some communitiesSpeak English and a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch In pictures: School attack In a separate incident, two Las Vegas schools, one high school and one elementary school, have been locked down while police hunt for a teenager spotted carrying a gun on the high school campus. | |
| Swat teams have surrounded the schools - Mojave High and Elizonda Elementary. Dog units combing the area have reportedly found a weapon, but police fear the suspect may still be armed. | |
| These latest incidents follow a week of gun-related violence in US schools | |
| Last Wednesday a 16-year-old girl died when an armed man took six students hostage at a Colorado high school. | |
| Emily Keyes was shot when officers stormed the school in Bailey after more than three hours. The gunman also killed himself. | |
| And on Friday, John Klang, the head teacher at a high school in Cazenovia, Wisconsin, was killed when he confronted an armed 15-year-old student as he entered the school. | |
| The teenager, Eric Hainstock, was arrested and has been charged with murder. | |
Are you in the area close to this incident? Use the form below to send any information. | Are you in the area close to this incident? Use the form below to send any information. |