TOWNVILLE, S.C. — A judge will decide whether authorities can continue holding a teenager arrested after a school shooting that left two students and a teacher wounded and a tiny South Carolina community coping with the aftermath.

The juvenile who authorities say is also suspected of fatally shooting his father before the violence at Townville Elementary School was due in court today for an initial hearing.

Anderson County Solicitor Chrissy Adams said the public wouldn’t be allowed in because the suspect is a juvenile and prosecutors won’t provide additional details about the shooting, which occurred Wednesday.

“While I realize there are many unanswered questions, the investigation into this tragedy is in a critical stage, and is ongoing,” she said.

On Thursday, firefighters recounted the harrowing scene at the school, in a quiet community near the Georgia line. When two volunteer firefighters rolled up to the school, they said they found only a wrecked black pickup truck at the playground. There was no gunman and no one inside the truck.

Within minutes, though, it was clear something awful had happened. One went inside to help treat the wounded and the other searched for the shooter, and neighbors are now calling them heroes.

“This was more than just another call to us. This incident occurred in the school where our children and the children of the community attend,” Townville Fire Chief Billy McAdams said Thursday during a news conference, pausing to keep his emotions in check.

Authorities say the teen, who hasn’t been identified because of his age, shot his father, 47-year-old Jeffrey Osborne, at their home before driving the pickup to Townville Elementary, where he crashed the truck, got out and fired at a door as it was being opened for recess, authorities said.

Bullets struck two students and a first-grade teacher, and the building was immediately placed on lock down.

Anderson 4 Superintendent Joanne Avery said staff saved lives by flawlessly implementing active-shooter training drills conducted with students over the past few years — at Townville Elementary, most recently just last week.

Though shot in the shoulder, the teacher “was with it enough” to close the door, lock it and barricade the students, Avery said.

“If he’d gotten in the school, it would’ve been a different scenario,” she said.

The fire chief said firefighter Jamie Brock confronted and subdued the shooter until police arrived.