Former student wounds US school principal

A recently expelled student armed with a shotgun and at least one other gun shot and wounded the principal of his former school in western Wisconsin yesterday, authorities said.

The student was taken into custody by the police and did not harm any students, school district employee Kathy Stoltz said.

Principal John Klang, 49, who oversees the Weston school district near Cazenovia, was shot three times, including in the head, and taken away by helicopter ambulance, authorities said. The school was being evacuated.

"All the students are safe," Ms Stoltz said. Witnesses quoted by local media said a janitor confronted the student and grabbed the shotgun, but the suspect pulled out a .22-caliber gun and fired several shots, striking Mr Klang.

Mr Klang tackled his assailant and a teacher and other students came to help, holding the suspect until police arrived.

The unidentified student had recently been expelled from the school, the witnesses said.

The school cancelled a homecoming ceremony and football game scheduled for yesterday afternoon.

"I don't think there was any way of predicting this," school official Melissa Nigh said.

On Wednesday, a homeless man in Colorado held several female students hostage at a school before shooting one to death and then killing himself as police closed in.