Teen is shot near St. Louis school

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- An early investigation found an 18-year-old accidentally shot himself in the leg Thursday near a school when he took out a weapon to show his friends.

The teen was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital for treatment. His injuries are not considered life threatening.

St. Louis school district spokesman Eric Little said the shooting happened around 8 a.m. near St. Louis Learning Center South. He said police found that the teen was a little more than a block away from school with a group of friends when he took out a gun to show them.

"Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest that the injured student accidentally shot himself when he pulled out the weapon," Little said in a statement. "It also appears that the students' friends took him to the school after the shooting."

Little said he was told the teen was a student at the alternative school. St. Louis police said they heard the student was not, and authorities were working to clear up the discrepancy.

Police discovered a small-caliber weapon about a block-and-a-half from the school, Little said. The student did not go into the school with the weapon, he said.

Police are still investigating how the student came to have the handgun. The school, which had been on lockdown, reopened once the weapon was recovered.

St. Louis Learning Center South is operated by Alternatives Unlimited, a company that has a contract with the public school district. The school serves ninth through 11th graders.