A teacher was found shot to death inside a classroom and the school has been shuttered for the day.
Samuel Colin Day was found dead at Munford High School in Tennessee around 6am on Thursday before students arrived, according to police.
Cops responded to an emergency at the high school and the Munford Police Department posted on Facebook that ‘the situation has been contained, and all students and staff are safe’.
‘We want to assure parents, students, and the community that there is no ongoing threat,’ stated police Chief Randal Baskin.
The school was closed for the rest of the day amid an investigation into the incident.
In an update at 8.30am, the police department said that there were no signs of foul play and reiterated that ‘all students in all schools are safe’.
Shortly before 11am, police identified the victim as Samuel Colin Day and said he died from ‘an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound’.
‘We are deeply saddened to report a tragic incident that occurred today at MHS,’ stated Baskin.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, students, and faculty affected by this heartbreaking event.’
Day’s family has asked for privacy.
He was listed as SPED director on the high school’s staff directory.
Tipton County Schools Assistant Superintendent Rebekah Byrd told FOX 13 Memphis that Day’s death was ‘an isolated incident’.
The high school is about 30 miles northeast of downtown Memphis.
Community members remembered Day as a dedicated and loving teacer.
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‘He was an awesome advocate for his SPED kids,’ wrote one Facebook user.
‘Prayers for his family, work family and first Responders as I’m sure they knew him and especially the person that found him. RIP.’
Another wrote: ‘Such a wonderful man. When I say he LOVED his students , LOVED his job. No one will ever be able to replace him.’
Day died two years after a kindergarten teacher was discovered dead in a shallow grave in an industrial area of New Jersey after failing to show up at BelovED Charter School in Jersey City.
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