Boy's finger cut off in locker at Bluffton school

A 13-year-old student's finger was severed by a locker door Monday at H.E. McCracken Middle School in Bluffton, according to Bluffton police.

Police Chief David McAllister said two 13-year-old boys were at their lockers at school dismissal time around 3:30 p.m. when the door slammed on one of the boy's right index finger.

The school resource officer retrieved the finger, and it was put on ice.

The boy was taken by ambulance, along with the finger, to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where he was set to undergo surgery to reattach the finger, McAllister said.

McAllister was not certain how the incident occurred, whether it was an accident or intentional. An investigation is under way.

The uninjured boy was interviewed by police and the injured boy likely will be interviewed today, McAllister said.

The incident was captured on video, but it was difficult to tell what happened from the angle of the camera and there is no sound on the video, McAllister said.

McAllister said school district personnel also were looking into the matter.He expected to have more information to report today.