School officials placed the school on lock down when two students alerted administrators that the armed girl was in a stall in a restroom.
White County School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Wilson said two teachers and a school counselor immediately went to the restroom to talk with the girl. He said they talked with the girl for nearly two hours.
"Just talking with her, trying to get her to calm down and understand that, you know, life's too important and too worth living," said Wilson.
Wilson said law enforcement was on the scene the entire time, but allowed the teachers and the counselor to negotiate with the girl, since they had developed a rapport with her.
The high school remained on lock down status from about 8:45 a.m. to around 10:45 a.m., according to Wilson.
As for the girl's ability to bring a weapon into the school, Wilson said this was the first gun-related incident at White County High.
"We do not have metal detectors here in White County - not saying that it wouldn't be something that we would consider - but you know as well as I do that if a student really wanted to get a weapon into the school, they could circumvent those things," said Wilson.
Wilson said the girl never threatened anyone other than herself.
He said she will not return to the school for the remainder of the school year. He said the school system will work to make sure she gets the help that she needs.
Dean Dyer with WRWH Radio in Cleveland contributed to this story.
Law enforcement is stationed outside White County High School during a Wednesday morning lock down. (Photo by Dean Dyer, WRWH)
Parents wait to hear from WCHS Principal John Osborne during a lock down at the school. (Photo by Dean Dyer, WRWH.)
http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/4/274368