Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Three shot at Lone Star college near Houston, Texas




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Witnesses described running after hearing gunshots at campus in Texas
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Three people were injured
as gunfire rang out during an argument at a college in the US state of Texas, say police.

A sheriff's official said both people involved in the altercation at Lone Star College in the Houston area were wounded and taken to hospital.

A college maintenance man was also injured in the cross-fire.

The latest in a series of US shootings, it comes amid a push for gun control by the Obama administration.
Hiding under table

Lone Star College's official Twitter account said the incident took place at about 12:30 local time (18:30 GMT) on Tuesday.
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“Start Quote

    The dude that shot, he basically got angry and started shooting the other guy”

Brittany Mobley

"Danger has been mitigated," said the statement. "Situation under control."

Harris County Sheriff's official Armando Tello told a news conference that one of the two suspects was enrolled at the college.

The two people involved in the fight are considered people of interest, he added, and officials say they are not looking for any other suspects. A handgun was recovered at the scene.

In total, four people were brought to two hospitals, including one who had a heart attack, said emergency services spokesman Mark Smith.

Witnesses told local broadcaster KHOU they had seen a man pull out a gun during an argument with another man.

"I saw two dudes basically get into an altercation and the dude that shot, he basically got angry and started shooting the other guy," Brittany Mobley said.

Students fled for safety as ambulances arrived at the scene and police swarmed over the campus.

A student who was leaving an emergency-responder class said he had helped two injured people, one who had been shot in the knee and another with a wound to the lower buttocks.

Another student, Amanda Vasquez, told KPRC television she had been waiting for an English class to begin when gunfire rang out.

"They sounded very close, the shots. Five or six gunshots," she said. "I just ducked under the table as fast as I could and hoped for the best.

"I saw one of the shooters when he was already under police control."

Richard Carpenter, chancellor of the Lone Star College System, said the shooting happened outside between an academic building and the library.

The campus, about 20 miles (32km) north of Houston, has some 18,000 students.

Several school districts in Texas have allowed faculty members to carry guns on campus. Guns are not allowed on college campuses, but the state legislature may debate a bill to allow it this year.

Last week, President Barack Obama unveiled the most sweeping gun control proposals in two decades, including calls for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines as well as wider background checks on gun buyers.

The US gun debate gained new impetus last month after a school shooting that left 20 children and six teachers dead in Newtown, Connecticut.

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