'I think that we were very fortunate': Cary police chief reacts to shooting inside Cary High School bathroom

“I think we were very fortunate that it occurred in the way it did,” Sult said.

Investigators on Thursday have filed juvenile petitions against two teens they found to be responsible.

In North Carolina, anyone younger than the age of 18 who commits a crime is served a juvenile petition instead of a criminal charge. The case will now be turned over to the Wake County District Attorney's Office.

Two juvenile petitions filed after gunshot fired inside Cary High School bathroom

Sult said nearly an hour passed before officers were alerted Wednesday that a gun was fired into a bathroom toilet at Cary High School.

“Without getting into the specifics of the case, the period of time was probably 45 minutes, close to an hour,” Sult said. “The event occurred in an isolated area, so there [weren’t] a lot of people to hear what happened.”

By the time police were informed, Sult said the officers quickly determined they were not dealing with an active shooter and there was not an immediate threat to students.

“I am concerned that ... there was a gun on school grounds ... that it did accidentally discharge,” Sult said.

A parent with a student at Cary High School spoke with WRAL News, but did not want to be identified.

“My daughter was in the building where the incident occurred,” the parent said.

This parent decided not to send her daughter to school on Thursday. She wants some answers first.

“How prepared are these schools?” the parent said. “That is my concern right now.”

The parent also asked what the school is going to do going forward.

WRAL News asked the Wake County Public School System. A spokesperson told WRAL News the district recently completed a review of campus safety at every school. It suggested improvements to the Student Resource Officer program, safety training and school visitor management - among other things.

School system leaders are working on those suggestions. Sult said they are also working on a strategic plan that includes preparedness for school dangers.

“You always want to be preventive, but you also have to recognize that you are not going to be able to prevent everything,” Sult said.

Sult when there is a report of an active shooter threat to the school, the police department responds with everything they have.

In Wednesday’s case, by the time officers were alerted to what happened, officers quickly determined that there was no ongoing threat.

Classes resumed Wednesday at the school after the lockdown, but the school district said Cary High School had extra security on Thursday.