Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Philadelphia, is pictured speaking during a news conference in the state Capitol. Submitted photo

There have been calls for clear backpacks in schools long before Tuesday’s shooting in Erie, Pa.

According to the Associated Press, one student was injured when multiple shots were fired inside the Erie High School building shortly after 9:20 a.m. The injured student was taken to a hospital and was said to be in stable condition.

Authorities were searching for “a known person of interest who fled the building,” Erie’s Public Schools said. No further information was released about the person being sought.

Mike Nolan, deputy chief of the Erie police department, told reporters earlier that it was unclear how many shots were fired and declined comment on what type of firearm was involved and whether it was recovered.

Police said they had secured the high school and asked people to avoid the area, the city said in a Twitter post. Students were dismissed classroom by classroom about an hour after the shooting, officials said.

The school district said there would be no school for Erie High School students for the remainder of the week, with the annual spring break to be observed next week. Officials said counselors would be available this afternoon for students, staff and parents at the Erie Center for Arts and Technology, an adult education school.

“We are devastated and angered by this senseless tragedy, and we are all hoping for the full and speedy recovery of the student involved,” Superintendent Brian Polito said in a statement.

On Monday, Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Philadelphia, introduced House Bill 2477, which would give schools until Jan. 1 to adopt a policy or amend its existing policy to mandate the use of clear backpacks in middle and high schools. As proposed, there would be exceptions for medically necessary supplies and small pouches or purses in a backpack that would have to be inspected.

“Clear bag policies have been implemented nationwide in stadiums and event venues that provide a safe environment for the public while allowing exceptions for medically necessary supplies,” Cruz wrote in his legislative memorandum. “Many school districts around the country have followed by adopting clear backpack policies as part of their school safety strategy. Recently, schools in Harrisburg, Altoona, and my own district have established clear backpack requirements. My legislation would implement this statewide by requiring the governing board of each school entity in Pennsylvania to develop and implement a clear backpack policy for the middle and high schools in their jurisdictions.”

House Bill 2477 is unlikely to become law. It has been referred to the House Education Committee, where there are roughly 200 bills ahead of it waiting for consideration. There are also doubts about cost and effectiveness of the use of clear backpacks. A California school spent roughly $442,000 for 46,000 clear backs for students in December, an expense not mentioned in the legislation proposed by Cruz.

Use of clear backpacks is also not mentioned in the state’s 2018 School Safety Report. That 66-page document offered several recommendations to strengthen school safety, including spending more money on cameras, locked doors, metal detectors and school vestibules that promote safety and increase the use of school resource officers. The task force also recommended spending more time and attention improving students’ mental health.

“Keeping our children safe in school requires a multi-pronged effort by the entire community, including educators, parents, law enforcement agencies, and students,” Cruz wrote. “By adopting a comprehensive approach to addressing school safety, we can create secure environments where learning can be prioritized. Measures to identify and confiscate weapons, including metal detectors and single points of entry, can be helpful but do not deter school violence alone. A simple way to bridge the safety gap is clear backpacks that allow school officials to catch dangerous items as students enter and travel throughout the school building.”