Special Needs Student Injured in Kentucky School Shooting May Lose Use of Hand: Brother

A 17-year-old special needs student was among those injured Tuesday morning when, police allege, a 15-year-old student armed with a handgun opened fire inside a high school in Benton, Kentucky.

Daniel Austin, a sophomore at Marshall County High School, was shot right above his right shoulder, and underwent surgery to try to repair the damage.

But his older brother tells PEOPLE the teen may lose the use of his right hand.

“They don’t know if he’ll be able to use his right hand ever again,” his brother, Shane Story, writes in a message to PEOPLE. “Just sucks because he has already been through so much … just wish I could help him out.”

The shooting started just before 8 a.m, authorities have said.

Shane Story and Kevin Austin
Shane Story and Kevin Austin

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Two students died — one at the scene, and one at a nearby hospital — and 17 other people were injured. Twelve people sustained gunshot wounds, and five sustained other injuries.

The male student shooter has been taken into custody and will be charged with murder and attempted murder, officials say. It is not yet known whether he will be charged as adult or a juvenile.

The identity of the shooter has not been confirmed.

Austin’s surgery was completed at around 3 p.m. local time, but his prognosis remains unknown.

“It’s just so surreal, to be honest,” Story tells PEOPLE.

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“I spoke to him actually before he got airlifted to [the hospital] which really was a blessing because … he was being Daniel, if that makes sense,” the brother continues.

Authorities have yet to release the names of the deceased.

Tuesday’s incident was the second school shooting in as many days, following a shooting in Italy, Texas, on Monday.