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Students to be kept in for recess as precaution

Students at a Columbus elementary school will be kept indoors for recess for the rest of the week after a shooting at the school has been linked with 11 others along a nearby stretch of interstate.

There are about 450 students in grades kindergarten through third grade at Hamilton Central Elementary.

Superintendent Bill Wittman says the initial report of the shooting at the school on November 11th appeared to be nothing to worry about. He says it's not uncommon for a rural school district to have a shot fired into their buildings.

But that's changed now that authorities say the shooting is one of 12 being investigated in an area around Interstate 270 on the south side of Columbus.

Besides holding recess inside, he says maps have been handed out to teachers and staff giving them alternative routes to school. Wednesday afternoon Franklin County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Steve Martin says authorities have now received 750 tips. He says the report of a man in a wooded area in Grove City is unrelated to the case. Authorities say a highway shooting in northern Ohio is not related to the Columbus shootings.