Massive response from community following Rigby school shooting

RIGBY - It was a day like any other as the first-period bell rang at Rigby Middle School Thursday morning. Less than an hour later, students and faculty were shocked to hear gunshots in the hallway.

A female sixth-grade student pulled a handgun out of her backpack and fired multiple rounds, injuring two students and a custodian, according to Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson.

As the situation began to unravel, police were alerted and parents were notified. Students were evacuated to the high school next door as parents waited outside. After several hours, many parents wept for joy as they were reunited with their children.

As many parents expressed that day, school shootings are not the kind of thing that happens in Rigby and they never imagined something like this would ever happen in their community. In the aftermath, they're grateful the victims are going to recover and they're glad police were able to keep their children safe during such a traumatic event.

There was also a tremendous response from the community on Thursday.

Individuals and businesses donated water bottles and snacks for the students during the lockdown. Kimber Tower, Executive Director of the Upper Valley Child Advocacy Center in Rigby, which helped distribute it, says they collected an "insane" amount of items.

"There was a point where we were running out and the community caught up with us really quickly," Tower says. "We're still trying to input all the data, but I'm guessing it was thousands and thousands of bottles of water."

Get a look in the video player above.