Jacksboro, Tenn. ? A 15-year-old accused of shooting an assistant principal to death and wounding two other administrators should be tried as an adult, the district attorney said Wednesday, adding that the victims performed heroically to keep the shootings from becoming even worse.

Ken Bartley Jr. was being held without bond in a juvenile detention facility in Knoxville and could have an initial court appearance in the next few days. A judge ultimately will decide whether he should be tried as a juvenile or an adult.

“It is appropriate that he be tried as an adult and subject to adult penalties,” Dist. Atty. Paul Phillips said.

Authorities said the shooting Tuesday at the 1,400-student Campbell County Comprehensive High School began after Bartley, a freshman, was called to the office because other students had seen him with a gun on campus.

When Principal Gary Seale and Assistant Principals Jim Pierce and Ken Bruce began questioning the boy, he allegedly opened fire. The administrators and a teacher wrestled the .22-caliber pistol from him.

Bruce, 48, was shot in the chest and died at a hospital.

Seale, 55, was shot in the lower abdomen and Pierce, 56, was hit in the chest. Both were hospitalized in intensive care, but investigators planned to interview them Wednesday.

Bartley was wounded in the hand when his gun discharged.

Phillips, the prosecutor, said police and school officials handled the situation well.

“It could even be said that the specific school officials who were present when this took place were heroic,” he said.

The prosecutor refused to discuss a motive, and he asked all law enforcement officers not to speak with reporters about the case.

The gun came from the boy’s home, Phillips said. “No one else is criminally responsible for the fact that this young man had this gun,” he said.