WFAA-TV

Classes were not dismissed following the incident.

GREENVILLE – A student died after shooting himself at Greenville High School Wednesday morning.

The shooting took place in the band classroom about 7:15 a.m. before the start of the school day, Greenville ISD officials said. The shooting took place in front of several students, the Greenville Herald Banner reported on its Web site.

The male student was taken to Presbyterian Hospital of Greenville. The official said the district was notified about 8 a.m. that the student had died.

No other students were injured.

A statement issued by the Greenville ISD said the district's "thoughts, prayers and concerns" were with the family of the dead student as well as his extended family at the school.

Superintendent Lloyd Graham drew a distinction—calling this a "shooting in school" and not a "school shooting." That's why he said the decision was made to keep the school open on Wednesday.

"We cannot service our children if they are not with us," Graham said. "We certainly are not in a position to second-guess any of our parents. Our parents know our children better than we ever can, and if they were in a position to get their children and to minister their children in this hour of grief, we applaud that. But we also have a large responsibility to the student body as a whole."

Graham said grief counselors and youth ministers would be made available to any students or faculty members who asked.

Greenville is about 50 miles northeast of Dallas.

WFAA-TV reporter David Schechter in Greenville, DallasNews.com and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

E-mail dschechter@wfaa.com