IRON MOUNTAIN — The superintendent of Iron Mountain Schools said the district had to react quickly after one of its students was shot off campus late Thursday morning, especially when rumors began spreading that the incident had happened at the high school.

The 16-year-old girl is still at a Green Bay hospital after being wounded in the abdomen just before noon Thursday at a house in the 400 block of West Brown Street. A 15-year-old male remains at the Bay Pines Detention Center in Escanaba pending further court action, according to Iron Mountain Police.

When news broke of the shooting — and social media began circulating the rumor of the school being the site — Superintendent Raphael Rittenhouse said he immediately contacted Iron Mountain Director of Police and Fire Services Edwin Mattson and Michigan State Trooper Geno Basanese for details and guidance.

Mattson assured Rittenhouse the situation was contained and the school and public were not in danger, Rittenhouse said Friday.

Yet the district and staff still had to deal with informing students a classmate had been shot, even if off campus, while quelling the rumors.

“In a crisis situation, if you know what you know, you have to proceed accordingly,” Rittenhouse said.

Teachers were briefed on the necessary details, then spoke to their students.

“They handled themselves incredibly well,” Rittenhouse said of his students.

He praised staff as well, crediting teachers, counselors, support staff and others for working as a team to help students deal with the situation. Even some members of the public, such as the Rev. Kevin Sullivan, came in to be available if needed.

“Everybody is to be commended for their composure,” Rittenhouse said.

The same type of collaborative effort will be used when the district begins discussing whether, in the wake of the shooting, changes need to be made in allowing students to be off-campus during lunch breaks, Rittenhouse said.

Any policy needs to balance freedom, responsibility and safety, he said. The practice has been to require freshman remain at school but permit sophomore, juniors and seniors the option to leave for lunch.

Rittenhouse intends to have a public forum, as yet unscheduled, on Iron Mountain’s open campus policy before any changes would be proposed.

Brian Christensen can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 29, or bchristensen@ironmountaindailynews.com.