OXNARD, Calif. — A 15-year-old boy was shot and wounded in a junior high school computer lab yesterday and another eighth-grader was taken into custody, authorities said.

Worried parents gathered outside the 1,150-student E.O. Green Junior High School, which was locked down. Students were released classroom by classroom.

The wounded boy had improved since arriving at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in extremely serious condition, police spokesman, David Keith, said. “We are guardedly optimistic he will make a recovery,” he said.

The 14-year-old suspect was being booked for investigation of attempted murder, Oxnard Police Chief John Crombach said.

The shooting occurred near the end of the first period, during an English class that had moved from a classroom to the computer lab, superintendent of the Hueneme School District, Jerry Dannenberg, said.

Mr. Dannenberg said 22 other students were in the lab at the time.

The one-story campus, which includes grades six though eight, does not have metal detectors.

“I still think the school is safer than any other place in society,” Mr. Dannenberg said.

Keith said 40 officers arrived within minutes of getting calls of a shooting. The victim was found on the ground and the suspect was apprehended a few blocks away, Mr. Keith said.

There was a dispute between the boys but it was premature to state a motive, Mr. Keith said.

“This appears to be personal in nature, some bad blood between them. It was not random,” he said. Police did not release the name of either student involved and did not describe the victim’s wound. Keith said the weapon was a handgun but he did not know how many shots were fired.

Parents were notified that school would be in session today and a crisis team would be present.