Murder-suicide at Episcopal High this afternoon

Shots rang out at Jacksonville Episcopal High School at 1:23 pm today leaving two adults dead according to a report received by Historic City News from Jacksonville Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Melissa J. Bujeda late this afternoon.

Episcopal Headmaster Dale Regan was confirmed dead this afternoon in what police believe to be a murder-suicide. The shooter has been identified as Shane Shumerth — a Spanish teacher who was fired this morning. Episcopal High School employs 90 faculty members.

Episcopal enrolls approximately 900 students annually in grades 6-12. The Middle School has 300 students and the Upper School 600 students; many of whom reside in Ponte Vedra Beach, St Johns and St Augustine. No students have been reported injured at this time.

According to Bujeda and the incident report, Shumerth hid a semiautomatic assault rifle in a guitar case in order to get it onto the campus.

The Right Reverend Samuel Johnson Howard, bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida and other clergy made their way to the school to provide chaplaincy and counseling services as needed.

Next week was Episcopal High School’s planned Spring Break; however, a spokesperson for the school said they would remain closed for the rest of this week and all of next week.