An SIUC student is shocked about Monday’s tragic shooting at her former high school in West Paducah, Ky., in which two students were killed and six others injured.

One of the six injured was reported brain dead and remained on life support as of press time Monday.

It’s not a school where you would expect something like that to happen. It’s a shock to everyone, said Yolanda Shelton, a junior in early childhood education from Paducah, Ky.

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At about 7:45 a.m. Monday, a 14-year-old boy opened fire on an informal prayer gathering in the lobby of Heath High School.

The youth opened fire with a .22-caliber Ruger handgun. CNN reported that a Heath High School student told police that the shooter was watching the prayer group for several days prior to the shooting.

In a CNN report, Principal Bill Bond said the boy emptied an 11-round clip into the group of about 35 students. The shooter then calmly dropped the weapon, surrendered and said he was sorry.

The boy’s pockets contained three more loaded bullet clips, Bond said in the report.

Reuters reported that the boy also had two rifles and two shotguns wrapped in a blanket by his side. The boy said he had stolen the weapons from a neighbor’s garage, according to reports.

CNN also reported that Bond, who ran from his office and took the gun from the boy, said the boy told students the previous week that something big was going to happen.

Shelton said Heath High School is a smaller school outside of town in the country, and its light security contrasts that of many other Paducah high schools.

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Many other schools in Paducah have metal detectors and stuff like that in them, Shelton said. Heath was one of those that didn’t.

Heath High School has an enrollment of about 600 students in grades 9 through 12. Classes were dismissed for the day at the school and an adjacent middle school. On Monday, hospitals set up crisis hot lines to help friends and family members of the victims, and crisis counseling teams will be available at the school for students today.

The Associated Press reported that officials with the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department said the youth was being questioned by police in the presence of his attorney. The boy faces charges of two counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary.

According to the Associated Press, four students were taken to Western Baptist Hospital.

Jessica James, 17, died in surgery from a chest wound.

Hospitalized at Western Baptist were Nicole Hadley, 14, who was declared brain dead and is on life support; Kelley Hard, 16, in fair condition with a left shoulder injury; and Craig Keene, 15, in fair condition with a neck wound.

Four students were taken to Lourdes Hospital for treatment. Misty Jenkins, 15, is listed in serious but stable condition. A 17-year-old boy was treated and released.

Kacey Steger, a 15-year-old girl, died at Lourdes about 45 minutes after the shooting. No information was available on the fourth student taken to Lourdes Hospital.