School Violence 1990-1991

Violence in Our Schools

August 1, 1990 through July 31, 1991

School Violence Around the World Date Stats It's Not Always About the Gun School Violence Links Guest Book Email Me

To report a threat of school violence before the instigator has a chance to act on his/her intentions, please contact Speak Up at 1-866-SPEAKUP (that is 1-866-773-2587)

I would like to thank all of the Survivors and others who have contacted me with information about school violence. I do appreciate the help, for, without their help, several of these occurrences would not be here.

One other thing I would like to ask of those who read over this list of tragedies is this: If you can provide me with any more details of any of these incidents, I would greatly appreciate the information. Or, if you know of another violent act at a school that is not on this list, please forward that information to me as well. The link to my e-mail is above.

Myers Park High School, Charlotte, North Carolina

Friday, August 24, 1990

At the end of this evening's football game, Marcus Grier, 15, was shot and killed by an unknown assailant. In another shooting at the same stadium, another man was injured.

Source: The Charlotte Observer - Police Patrols in Schools Urged Officers Suggested for Duty at Each Junior, Senior High (published March 27, 1991)

Eldorado High School, Las Vegas, Nevada

Monday, August 27, 1990

Sophomore Curtis Collins shot Junior Donnie Bolden, 16, in the neck in the crowded cafeteria about 7:15 a.m., just minutes before the first bell on the first day of school. Curtis later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.

W. H. Adamson High School, Dallas, Texas

Monday, August 27, 1990

Later that same morning, around 10:15, a freshman was in line waiting to complete the enrollment process when five non-students began to harass him. The non-students were thought to be gang members. The five tried to pick a fight with him, but he knew the odds were against him. As he tried to leave the school, one of the five pulled out a handgun and fired three shots at him. All of the shots missed. The five were picked up over ten miles away at North Dallas High School.

Source: Dallas Morning News - 1st Day of School Has Its Share of Problems

Edison Middle School Learning Center, Dallas, Texas

Thursday, August 30, 1990

Two days ago a group of black students harassed a Hispanic student near the school. Later in the day, for retaliation more than anything else, a 14-year-old black student was slightly wounded in the leg from a shotgun blast while in a nearby shopping center parking lot. The gunfire came from a green Cadillac driven by four Hispanics. Police added extra security at the school for the rest of the week. However, that didn't stop the culture war. Today, 21 Hispanic students packed into a parked van at Edison Middle School and opened fire on a group of black students. None of the flying bullets struck one of the students. Police officers were able to detain and search the van, but the students didn't identify the shooter. Police took possession of a .22-caliber automatic handgun and a .22-caliber revolver from the occupants. The driver of the van, a 15-year-old Hispanic girl, was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of firearms.

Source: Dallas Morning News - School Officials Cite Neighborhood Tensions in 2 Shootings

University Autónoma of Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Sunday, September 23, 1990

Members of the National Union of Revolutionary Students gathered in their on-campus office and began constructing bombs to plant in supermarkets and other businesses of this Caribbean island. Their plans changed dramatically when the bombs they were building went off, killing three of them and wounding two. The National Union of Revolutionary Students is a leftist student group at the University. For statistical purposes, I'm going to say that five college-age students instigated this event.

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune - 3 Students Killed While Making Bomb

W. H. Adamson High School, Dallas, Texas

Tuesday, October 2, 1990

Late this afternoon, several students were still waiting at the school for rides home. One of them was 17-year-old Maria Orta. At 4:50 p.m., two females in a car drove up to the students and opened fire on them. Maria was struck in the left leg by one of the flying bullets. She was taken to Methodist Medical Center and treated for the wound. The license plates on the car were covered, and the witnesses said the vehicle and its occupants were unfamiliar to them.

Source: Dallas Morning News - Adamson High School Student Wounded in Drive-By Shooting; Dallas Morning News - Officials Fight Rising Tide of Youth Crime

Charlestown High School, Charlestown, Indiana

Monday, October 29, 1990

After being suspended twice in the past two weeks, 17-year-old Eli Dean returned to school late this morning with a handgun. He took over a classroom with a teacher and six students, holding them hostage. Police negotiated with Eli over the school's intercom system, and he released his hostages one at a time over the next 8 hours. He made no demands and fired not a shot while in the classroom. After the last student had been released, Eli surrendered to police around 7:20 p.m. No word was given as to why he commandeered the room in the first place.

Source: Dallas Morning News - Indiana Teen Frees Classmate Hostage

Naaman Forest High School, Garland, Texas

Tuesday, October 30, 1990

13-year-old Johnny Reyes shaved a banned pattern into the back of his head, and he was repeatedly suspended for coming to school with that hair style. Today, his 32-year-old mother, Manuela Chacon Reyes, came to the school to complain. She believed the suspension to be ethnically biased as other white and black students wore similar haircuts. She met with Assistant Principal Steve Baker in his office. During the meeting, Steve, 36, said that Manuela accused him of being a racist and lost her temper. He continued to recount the meeting by saying that she pulled out a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol, pointed it at him and fired it. Steve dived from his chair to the floor when he saw the gun and the bullet ripped through the back of his empty chair. Manuela circled his desk and took aim on the prone Steve. Somehow, he was able to grab her arm and push it down before Manuela fired again. The bullet entered his thigh. A struggle for the gun ensued between Steve and Manuela, during which the two fell into the hallway. Coaches in the nearby gym were called in for help by secretaries using the school's public address system. Assistant football coach Harvey Oaxaca was one of the first to arrive. He was able to get the take control of the gun and bring the fight to an end. However, Manuela says she only drew her pistol after Steve uttered a racial insult and lunged at her. She continued to recount the meeting by saying the gun went off accidentally while they struggled for it. Steve denies those events taking place. Steve was transported to Baylor University Medical Center for treatment of the gunshot wound. Manuela was arrested and held in the Garland City Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bail. On Thursday, July 11, 1991, Manuela Reyes was sentenced to eight years in prison for shooting Steve Baker.

Source: Dallas Morning News - Woman Held in Garland School Shooting; Dallas Morning News - Mother Given 8 Year Term in School Shooting

University of Crete, Crete, Greece

Tuesday, November 27, 1990

Basilis (also known as Vasilis) Xanthopoulos and Stephanos Pnevmatikos were gifted physics professors at the University of Crete. Basilis collaborated with Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who won the 1983 Nobel Physics prize for his theoretical studies of the physical processes of importance to the structure and evolution of the stars. Basilis was a Greek theoretical physicist who made important contributions in relativity and gravitational physics. Stephanos was extremely active in Nonlinear Physics at an international level. Both of the professors were gunned down on campus this evening by 32-year-old Giorgos Petrodaskalakis. Why this shooting place, the sources don't say.

Source: Rensselaer Graduate Council September 2000 Newsletter - Deadly Scholarship; Wikipedia - Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar page; http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/new/BXanthopoulos.htm

Salmen High School, Slidell, Louisiana

Thursday, December 13, 1990

Two and a half months ago, the leaders of the L.A. Posse gang, Evin Domino, 18, and Terry Perryman, 19, stole eight ounces of cocaine from David Wallace, 18, the leader of the Northside Posse gang. This theft happened in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This evening, David picked up two of his gang members, James Donaldson and Robert Green, both 18, and came to Slidell to settle the score. David found Evin and Terry in the parking lot of Salmen High School. The parking lot was full of vehicles as a basketball tournament was going on inside the school. Slidell High was playing L. W. Higgins High from Marrero. Unbeknownst to the David, Evin and Terry, almost 50 reserve deputies, and Slidell officers were attending a class at the school this same evening. David opened fire on Evin and Terry, riddling their car with bullet holes. The two gang leaders left their car and took cover in the nearby woods. They returned fire upon David, James, and Robert. Nine cars sustained damaged to their tail lights, rear windshields or fenders during the four-minute gun fight. Amazingly, nobody was hurt, even though over 50 rounds were fired. When the gun battle erupted at 8:52 p.m., the deputies and police officers left the classroom and headed outside. Sheriff's Deputy Lt. Donald Sharp, Captain David Brauner, and Slidell reserve officers arrested David quickly. The remaining officers were able to capture James and Robert as well as a 16-year-old girl. The young girl is the sister of one of the gang members. Evin and Terry came to the police station later in the night to press charges against David. Police arrested them instead. Evin and Terry, former students of Salmen, were arrested and charged with attempted murder, criminal damage to property over $500, illegal use of a weapon and public bribery. David was arrested and charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, criminal damage to property, illegal use of weapons and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. James and Robert were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and attempted murder. The young girl was charged with illegal carrying of a weapon. She had a handgun in her waistband that she gave to her brother when the shooting started. Police released her to her parents. Those in the gym didn't know the shooting took place until they left and saw their damaged cars.

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune - Drug Gangs Fire 50 Shots in Slidell School Shootout

Richardson High School, Richardson, Texas

Tuesday, January 8, 1991

When Jeremy Wade Delle, 16, missed his first class of the day, English teacher Fay Barnett sent him to the office to get an admittance slip. When he returned minutes later, he walked directly to the front of the classroom and said, "Miss, I got what I really went for." Jeremy then pulled out a .357-caliber Magnum handgun, put it into his mouth and fired. Jeremy's body collapsed to the ground before Fay, or any of his classmates could register that he was committing suicide.

Hood Middle School, Dallas, Texas

Thursday, January 17, 1991

Neighborhood tensions between south Dallas students being bused to Hood Middle School and students who live around the school itself escalated into a gunfight this morning. About 20 to 30 of the rivaling students gathered near the bus stop and began an exchange of heated words. Several students drew guns and at least one, maybe two even fired them at each other. Police say only one shot was fired while student witnesses say they heard two shots. An eighth-grade 15-year-old girl was struck by one (the only?) bullet in her upper right thigh. She was transported to Baylor University Medical Center where she was treated and released. Police reported they had two names of suspects, but wouldn't elaborate further.

Source: Dallas Morning News - Girl, 15, Wounded in Clash of Rival Groups Outside School

Booker T. Washington High School, New Orleans, Louisiana

Tuesday, February 19, 1991

20-year-old Michael Jarrow (also known as Mike Jones) is no stranger to the law. He was convicted in Juvenile Court of attempted armed robbery, attempted murder, attempted burglary and resisting arrest. His sentenced was to be carried out at the Louisiana Training Institute in Scotlandville. Michael was released from the Institute for a weekend furlough on November 17, 1989. However, he never returned. Just before 1 p.m. today, students were in the parking lot eating lunch and conversing with each other. Michael walked through a broken gate onto the campus at South Roman Street and Earhart Boulevard. He was able to get past the school's two security guards, one of them was even armed, and into the parking lot. Once there, Michael found Demond Hankton, a 15-year-old sophomore honors student. Demond was with seven to eight other students at the time. Michael killed him with one gunshot wound to the head. Trenece Darton, 18, one of the students with Demond, was shot three times in her leg. Michael then fled the scene. Trenece was taken to Charity Hospital for treatment. During their investigation, police found 21 "rocks" (over 2 grams) of crack cocaine in one of Demond's pockets. On Wednesday, February 20, 1991, Demond would have turned 16-years-old. Just over a month later, on Thursday, March 21, 199, police arrested Michael and his girlfriend after a brief standoff. Denise Marie Robinson, 17, Michael's girlfriend, was with Michael when he killed Demond and carried the handgun in her purse. An officer had spotted Michael in the apartment window and called for the SWAT team. However, Michael surrendered at 7 p.m., before the SWAT team arrived.

Webmaster's note: In researching this act of school violence, I read an editorial from the New Orleans Times-Picayune that I did not use to create this entry. However, it points out extremely well some of things that was wrong with our society in February 1991. I believe these points are very relevant today and need to be addressed if school violence is ever going to go away. Search the archives of the New Orleans Times-Picayune for this editorial from February 25, 1991: "Murder in a Schoolyard."

Source: The Advocate (Baton Rouge) - 1 N. O. Student Slain; Another is Wounded; New Orleans Times-Picayune - Police Name Suspect in School Yard Slaying; New Orleans Times-Picayune - Two Booked in Murder of Student at School

Woodmont High School, Piedmont, South Carolina

Thursday, March 14, 1991

This evening Woodmont hosted a talent show. During the show, Crystal Scott was named runner-up in the talent competition for her rap performance. After the show, a fight broke out in the parking lot. The fight was broken up by an assistant principal and a security guard. When ordered was restored, gunfire rang out from another area of the parking lot. Two off-duty deputies responded to the gunshots and saw two armed men. One of them fired his gun at the crowd, striking a man in the crowd and Crystal. The bullet struck her hand. The two unnamed men then turned their guns on the deputies, who drew their guns and returned fire. One of the instigators was wounded and fell to the ground; the other one fled the scene. However, he turned up later at the emergency room of Greenville Memorial Hospital. The four injured people, Craig Goston, LeShawn Jones, Rodney Pitts and Crystal Scott, were transported to Greenville Memorial Hospital. Craig and LeShawn were admitted to the intensive care unit. Rodney Pitts was in stable condition, and Crystal Scott was treated and released. The news story doesn't say who the shooters were, but I am assuming that Craig and LeShawn were the shooters from the way the story read.

THE INJURED:

Craig Goston, 20	LeShawn Jones, 20
Rodney Pitts, 18	Crystal Scott, 11

Source: The State (Columbia, S.C.) - Four Shot in School's Parking Lot

Garinger High School, Charlotte, North Carolina

Monday, March 25, 1991

When classes let out for the day, Ronald Martin, 21, was shot to death in the school's parking lot. The news story doesn't state why the 21-year-old was at the school.

Source: The Charlotte Observer - Police Patrols in Schools Urged Officers Suggested for Duty at Each Junior, Senior High

Whitehill Secondary School, Dennistoun, Scotland

Wednesday, April 10, 1991

Barbara Glover believed that one of her classmates, 16-year-old Diane Watson, was seeing her boyfriend. Barbara, also 16, wanted to remove her boyfriend's temptation so last night she placed a kitchen knife in her school bag. This morning at recess, she hid near a tunnel that she knew Diane would be passing under. When Diane and her friends arrived, Barbara plunged the knife into Diane's chest. Diane was able to pull the knife out, but she died from the stabbing. Barbara was arrested and convicted of assaulting Diane the following Tuesday and of killing her a week later. She was found guilty of murder and sentenced to be detained without limit of time, with a recommendation she serve at least 12 years. However, the Scottish courts released her in 2000 after only serving eight years.

Source: United Kingdom Parliament, House of Commons, Committee on Culture, Media and Sport, Appendix 124; Evening Times - Diane, 16, Killed at Same Secondary

Northwestern High School, Rock Hill, South Carolina

Thursday, April 11, 1991

On Wednesday night, Richie Brafford, 18, and his girlfriend had a heated augment. Just before 8:00 this morning outside the school's cafeteria, Richie had his back to a school office wall and surrounded by over 100 of his classmates as they waited for school to begin. He told his friends he was going to shoot himself and then pulled out a long-barreled .22-caliber Harrison and Richardson 10-shot revolver from his book bag. His friends ran to social studies teacher Wayne McIntosh and told him, "There's a student with a gun out there, and we think he is going to use it. By the time Wayne got to Richie, his finger was trembling as it rested on the trigger. Richie yelled, "Stay out of it! I'm going to kill myself." He pointed the revolver at Wayne who shouted, "Please don't do it! Let's talk about it." He dived to the ground and rolled. However, as he was speaking, Richie pulled the trigger. The revolver misfired, and the teen fired it again at his head. This time, it went off, and he slumped to the ground. This was his second suicide attempt, the first coming two months ago. He was rushed to Rock Hill's Piedmont Medical Center where over two dozen doctors, nurses and staff worked on saving the boy's life. At 10:22 a.m., he was transferred to Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina where he was listed in critical and unstable condition.

Source: The Charlotte Observer - Community Mobilizes at News of School Shooting

Ralph J. Bunche Middle School, Compton, California

Tuesday, April 23, 1991

On Friday, April 19, 1991, ten teenagers came onto the RJBMS campus without permission. A school security guard forced them to leave. This afternoon as classes were letting out for the day, four of the teens returned to pay back the guard for their earlier forced departure. Once again, the security guard chased the four teens from the school grounds. Fifth-grader Alejandro Vargas had called his mother to pick him up from school and was waiting at the school's flagpole when the four teens were chased from the school. Once they had crossed the street, one of them turned back toward the school, took up a combat stance and fired a shot from his handgun at the security guard. The shot missed the guard, but struck Alejandro, 11, just below his eye. He collapsed to the ground and died on his school's front lawn. This shooting occurred just before 3:30 p.m. and most students had already left the school. The next day, police arrested two boys, one 14 and the other 17, and charged them with the murder of Alejandro Vargas.

Source: L. A Times - Shots Fired at Guard Kill Boy at School; L. A Times - School Assaults Bring Tragedy to Compton

Franklin Alternative Middle School, Columbus, Ohio

Thursday, May 9, 1991

While attending a choir concert, 18-year-old Arnold Williams was standing with his friends near a larger group of students outside the school. Robert Jones, 15, opened fire on Arnold and his friends, striking Arnold once between the eyes. Another bullet struck Arnold as well. He died the next day. Police charged Robert as an adult for this shooting.

Source: Columbus Dispatch - Teen to Stand Trial as Adult in Killing

East St. John High School, La Place, Louisiana

Thursday, May 9, 1991

Debbie Morantes, a 19-year-old senior, and 16-year-old Brenda Carter argued just before lunch this morning over a boy they both had dated. The boy did not attend East St. John High School. The argument climaxed in the cafeteria when Debbie sat down at one end of a long table. Brenda was at the other end. She got up, walked around the table behind Debbie and asked her, "Do you still want to fight?" Debbie answered no and then Brenda plunged a 6 1/2-inch kitchen knife into the middle of her back. The wound pierced Debbie's left lung and heart. She shook and then passed out. Another girl lifted her up and blood gushed from the wound. Nurses from the Blood Center were in the library for a blood drive rushed to Debbie's aide. They began doing CPR until the paramedics arrived and took Debbie to River Parishes Hospital where she died around 1:00. Brenda offered no resistance as a teacher took her to the principal's office. Brenda was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Police were unsure of how Brenda obtained the knife or where she concealed it.

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune -La Place Teenager is Stabbed to Death in School Cafeteria

Coronado Middle School, Kansas City, Kansas

Thursday, May 16, 1991

At noon today, Principal Karl Baxley saw a couple of teenagers peeking around the corner at the school's cafeteria. There were about 250 students in the cafeteria at this time. He then saw a whiff of smoke and heard a single gunshot. However, he believed it to be a firecracker. It wasn't until he saw what the bullet hit that he realize he had just witnessed a school shooting. The bullet entered a 13-year-old girl's chest, collapsing both lungs, exited her back, and continued through the hand of a 13-year-old boy who was standing behind the young girl. She was taken to Providence-St. Margaret Hospital and listed in critical condition. The boy was treated for his hand wound. Police arrested two 15-year-old boys, a 13-year-old boy and were still looking for a fourth suspect. They were charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. This was a gang initiation test for the 13-year-old boy, who used a .22-caliber pistol. Prosecutors planned to ask to have the 15-year-olds tried as adults while the 13-year-old boy would be tried as a juvenile.

Source: Kansas City Star - Police Release Shooting Suspects; Kansas City Star - 3 Teens Charged in School Shooting; Visitor to this website

Robert A. Millikan Junior High School, Sherman Oaks, California

Tuesday, May 21, 1991

Alejandro Penaloza, 14, a gang member, walked to the northeast corner of RAMJHS at Magnolia Blvd. and Sunnyslope Avenue this afternoon when a man in a white truck waved him over. At the corner of the campus, a quick conversation between Alejandro and Salvador Humberto Funes, 20, (one of the men in the truck) began. They flashed gang signs at each other and then Salvador drew his gun, fired it at Alejandro's chest before the truck drove away. Alejandro slumped to the ground. He was transported by paramedics to AMI Medical Center of North Hollywood where he died an hour later. Five days later, police were still searching for Salvador.

Source: L. A. Times - Boy, 14, Shot to Death in Front of School; L. A Times - Sherman Oaks Campus Shaken By Gang Shooting; L. A. Times - Police Seeking Gang Member in 2 Fatal Shootings

Westchester High School, Los Angeles, California

Monday, July 22, 1991

Just after 10:30 this morning a 16-year-old male student was waiting for an RTD bus in front of Westchester High School when a brown Cadillac pulled up to him. Two men were inside and they talked to him briefly before one them pulled out a .22-caliber handgun and shot the boy. He was attending summer school when the bullet grazed his stomach. He was taken to UCLA Medical Center for treatment. Police believe the shooting to be gang-related.

Source: L. A. Times - Student Shot in Drive-By Attack at RTD Bus Stop; L. A. Times - Westchester High School Student Injured in Gang-Related Shooting

Enterprise Middle School, Compton, California

Tuesday, July 30, 1991

Thearon Steen, 14, went to visit his friend at Enterprise Middle School today. The friend was working at the school at the time. While he was at EMS, two teenage gang members arrived at the school and challenged Thearon and his friend, neither of which were associated with any gang. When the two innocent boys tried to flee, one of the gang members opened fire on them, striking Thearon in the leg. He was taken to Martin Luther King Jr. / Drew Medical Center for treatment of this gunshot wound.

Source: L. A. Times - Boy, 14, Shot While visiting School Campus

Greenwood, South Carolina

Sometime During the 1990 - 1991 School Year

A student was shot in the school's hallway following a fight.

Never Forget Always Remember