Authorities in Montgomery County, Maryland, have identified the suspect in a shooting that injured a student at Thomas S. Wootton High School as Khalil White-Villatoro, a 16-year-old from Rockville.
The incident, which unfolded Monday afternoon, sent shockwaves through the school community and renewed concerns about student safety and gun violence on school campuses.
According to the Rockville City Police Department, White-Villatoro is being charged as an adult in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors have filed multiple serious charges, including attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, and several firearms-related offenses.
Among those is possession of a dangerous weapon on school property, a charge that carries significant legal consequences under Maryland law. Police say officers were dispatched to Wootton High School at approximately 2:15 p.m. after receiving reports of a shooting inside the building.
Upon arrival, officers located a 16-year-old male student who had been shot in a hallway. Emergency responders transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was treated. Authorities later confirmed that the student is in stable condition. His identity has not been publicly released, as he is a minor.
During the investigation, police recovered a Polymer 80, 9-millimeter handgun late Monday night. Polymer 80 firearms, sometimes referred to as “ghost guns,” are privately assembled weapons that can lack serial numbers, making them more difficult to trace.
Officials have not yet disclosed how the weapon was obtained or brought onto campus. Investigators have stated that the case remains active and that a motive has not yet been determined.
Detectives continue to interview witnesses, review surveillance footage, and examine digital evidence as part of their ongoing inquiry. Law enforcement officials emphasized that every lead is being pursued to fully understand the circumstances that led to the shooting.
White-Villatoro is currently being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center’s Central Processing Unit, where he is awaiting a bond hearing.
The decision to charge him as an adult reflects the severity of the alleged offenses and follows state guidelines that allow prosecutors to pursue adult charges in certain violent cases involving juveniles.
