Armed West Virginia high school student holds classmates, teacher hostage

A 14-year-old high school student in Philippi, West Virginia, held 27 of his classmates and one teacher hostage Tuesday afternoon, releasing them two hours after the ordeal began, authorities said.

West Virginia state police say the student, who has not been identified, had a loaded .380-caliber handgun, NBC News reports. The incident began in a second-floor classroom at Philip Barbour High School at about 1:30 p.m., and two hours later, after negotiating with the police, the teenager released the hostages and surrendered. No one was injured.

While the situation was unfolding, the school was evacuated, and students were sent home in buses. The teen's motive has not been verified, and he is being evaluated at a hospital.

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