Campus Cop Shoots Knife-Wielding Boy, 14, at Nevada High School

A high school student was shot by a Nevada campus cop Wednesday afternoon after apparently wielding knives at classmates.

A young male is seen with two long kitchen knives in startling video footage that was posted to social media after a fight reportedly erupted between two boys at Reno's Hug High School.

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Police Chief Jason Soto said at a press conference Wednesday night that a Washoe County School District police officer responded to the fight and the 14-year-old failed to follow the commands to drop his weapons.

The officer then fired his gun.

"Once the threat was stopped, the officer immediately began to provide medical aid to the student until emergency medical assistance arrived," Soto told reporters.

The teen was transported to a local hospital and, as of late Wednesday, was listed in critical condition. 

The campus was placed on a "code red" lockdown for several hours while law enforcement officers determined no other threats existed on campus. Once the all clear was given, students were released to their parents.

Graphic video of the incident spread on social media on Wednesday. One video appears to show a male teenager wielding two knives as other students look on. But Reno Police Officer Tim Broadway urged viewers to understand it doesn't tell the whole story.

"There's some very disturbing video out there," he said Wednesday. "But there are other events that led up to this incident, so please don't react to those."

Authorities would not identify the minor, but a man identifying himself as the teen's father has named him and has come to his son's defense in a public Facebook post.

"My son was shot today by the school police," wrote Justin Clark, who demanded to know why "the officer pulled his side arm and not his tazzer [sic]."

In the post, Clark asked for "public support in the battle with the city that's sure to come from this." He also praised his son as "a superior athlete" who's now "lost part of his lung" in the wake of the shooting.

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Clark wants the local police to be held accountable for what he believes was an improper use of force.

According to the Reno Gazette-journal, the family is being represented by Reno attorney David Houston. An off-hours message left for Houston early Thursday was not immediately returned.

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