A student is recovering after he was struck in the jaw by a bullet last month at a Los Angeles middle school.
The student at Hollenbeck Middle School in Boyle Heights was possibly struck by a round fired from off campus, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The Los Angeles Times reports the student was injured Aug. 27. Officials didn't publicly acknowledge the incident until Tuesday.
School Police Chief Steven Zipperman says the boy was in a lunch line when another student noticed he was bleeding. Zipperman says the student said he felt something strike him, the Times reported.
He was treated by a school nurse and his mother took him to a hospital.
Nobody heard gunfire and the district said the firearm was likely discharged from off the campus located east of downtown Los Angeles.
In a statement, the district said it's investigating the case.
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"Los Angeles Unified continues to cooperate with the Los Angeles Police Department who has been investigating the August 27 incident that took place near Hollenbeck Middle School," a district spokesperson said. "Law enforcement believes that a discharge of a firearm from outside of the campus inadvertently struck and injured a student who was on school property. We are thankful that the student is recovering. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our top priority, and we remain committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment at all of our schools."
The Times says parents were initially notified that a student was injured. A follow-up message Tuesday said the injury was from an off-campus discharge of a firearm.
