Violence in Our Schools
August 1, 1997 through July 31, 1998
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 really 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.
Berkeley High School, East Campus, Berkeley, California
Thursday, September 11, 1997
Around 10:30 this morning in a quad of the school, a 14-year-old boy stabbed 17-year-old Alberto Perez to death. The instigator was enrolled in a program for emotionally troubled teens.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Southwest Dekalb High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Thursday, September18, 1997
Deshard Mosely had been taunted by 16-year-old Ronald Gaines for sometime. Today, on the school's football practice field, the two boys were there, along with 40 other students. The students egged on Deshard, 15, to stab Ronald. He finally did, stabbing him in the chest and ended up killing his classmate.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Pearl High School, Pearl, Mississippi
Wednesday, October 1, 1997
This morning, Luke Woodham, 16, beat his mother with a baseball bat as she lay in her bed. Then he stabbed his mother to death. He got into the family car and awkwardly drove to school. He entered the commons area of Pearl High and opened fire with a .30-.30 Marlin hunting rifle. He killed Lydia Drew and Christina Menefee, his former girlfriend. He wounded seven others in his rampage. As he tried to flee in his mother's car, an assistant principal rammed his own car into Woodham's. He and several friends thought to be in on the plot were said to be outcasts who worshipped Satan. Luke is serving life in prison. For more information on this school shooting, read Child's Prey by Jon Bellini, published 2001 by Pinnacle Books.
THOSE WHO DIED:
|
Lydia Kaye Dew, 17 |
Christina Menefee, 16 |
Mary Woodham, 50 |
THE INJURED:
| Deepika Dhawan, 17 | Robert Harris, Jr., 14 | Denise Magee |
| Jon Palmer, 14 | Jerry Safley, 17 | Allan Westbrook |
| Stephanie Wiggins, 15 | ||
Lew Wallace High School, Gary, Indiana
Friday, October 10, 1997
During the third quarter of Lew Wallace's homecoming football game, the sound of gunfire was heard. The bullets struck and killed one student and wounded two others.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Gary Rethinks Night Games After Shooting
Lakeview Centennial High School, Garland, Texas
Tuesday, October 14, 1997
Last month Armando Montiel's friend Leslie Enfield committed suicide in his home. Today, Armando, 19, committed suicide in one of the school's restroom by shooting himself in the head.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
John Glenn High School, Norwalk, California
Wednesday, October 22, 1997
Former student Khoa Truc "Robert" Dang, 21, returned to his alma mater 15-20 minutes before classes began to track down his 16-year-old sweetheart, Catherine Tran, who had just broken up with him. He shot her repeatedly with a 9mm Glock handgun, killing her, and then killed himself. Catherine repeatedly cheated on Robert and even attacked Robert a couple of times putting scratches all over his body. A close friend of Catherine and Robert described this incident as an illed love affair that ended the wrong way. Robert had graduated from John Glenn with honors in 1994.
Lincoln Memorial Middle School, Palmetto, Florida
October 1997
The first ever school shooting in Manatee County happened here at Lincoln Memorial Middle School. For an undisclosed reason, 13-year-old Brandon Lee Hartsoe fired upon Trent Murray. Trent was injured in this shooting. Brandon was charged with attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm on school grounds, both of which he pled no contest to. In 1998 he was sentenced to serve a state prison sentence until he turned 18 with a probation period to end in 2009. However, he violated his probation in October of 2006 by using cocaine and marijuana. Prosecutors will now decide if Brandon should return to prison.
Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Teenager in School Shooting Arrested (published 10-18-06)
Ribault High School, Jacksonville, Florida
Friday, November 7, 1997
At 8:20 this morning, 18-year-old James David Campbell came across fellow students El Omar Downs, 17, and Gary White Jr., 14. James believed that El Omar and Gary were involved in shooting his cousin. He pulled out a gun and shot El Omar three times. As he fell to the ground, Gary began running down the street and across Winton Drive Park. James pursued and caught up to Gary, then killed him with a single shot to the chest. This happened in front of Luella Bivins' home on Owens Avenue. Gary stumbled up to her steps asking for help and as her daughter called 911, Gary fell off the porch into some bushes and died. El Omar survived the shooting.
Source: The Florida Times-Union - Two Students Shot, 1 Dead; National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; The Florida Times-Union - Man Jailed in Slaying, Shooting Near Ribault
Creekside Elementary School, Sacramento, California
Thursday, November 13, 1997
Mike Logsdon, 47, was sitting in his van in front of Creekside Elementary School today waiting to pickup his six-year-old child. Suddenly, a young man opened his driver's side door and shot him four times, killing him. Police believe this shooting and Mike's bitter custody battle with his former lover to be related. Prior to today, Michael had contacted his murderer and told him that he would rape and kill his wife and two daughters. This wasn't the first family, or children, Mike had threatened. Many young girls later came forward and thanked the unidentified young man for killing Mike.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; A visitor to this website
Monday, December 1, 1997
On a winter's morning, Michael Carneal, 14, walked into the school and calmly pulled out a .22-caliber Ruger Mark II semiautomatic pistol. He loaded it, put in ear protectors and just as a prayer group squeezed hands and said, "Amen" he opened fire on the group. Benjamin Strong, the leader of the prayer group, talked the deranged Michael into dropping the gun. After he was stopped he pleaded, "Kill me, please. I can't believe I did that." Ironically, the day before Michael had warned Benjamin not to be at school that day, but Benjamin was and was able to stop the bloodshed. Michael is serving life in prison for these shootings. On his 18th birthday, he was transferred to an adult prison.
THOSE WHO DIED:
|
Nicole Hadley, 14 |
Jessica James, 17 |
Kayce Steger, 15 |
THE INJURED:
|
Kelly Hard |
Hollan Holm |
Melissa Jenkins, 15 |
|
| Craig Keene | Shelly Schaberg, 16 | ||
Heath Links Facts from West Paducha Heath High School Lincoln County Schools - Heath High School Memorial
Madera High School, Madera, California
Wednesday, December 3, 1997
During a fight with a 16-year-old male classmate, Alviro Almanza fell and hit his head He was rushed to the hospital and died two days later. Alviro, 15, had an aneurysm prior to this fight.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Stamps High School, Stamps, Arkansas
Monday, December 15, 1997
Joseph "Colt" Todd, 14, was hiding in the woods when he opened fire with a .22-caliber rifle. Colt wounded Leticia Finley and Grover Henderson as they stood in the parking lot.
THE INJURED:
| Leticia Finley, 15 | Grover Henderson, 17 |
South Texas Community College, McAllen, Texas
Tuesday, January 13, 1998
This evening around 6:45, as students lined up to register for the spring semester, two masked gunmen using a 9mm pistol and an assault-style rifle burglarize the students and the register's office. Before they left, they fired their weapons and killed security guard Carlos Hernandez from La Joya, Texas. The gunmen also injured two women and one man. Melinda Singleterry was shot in the arm and leg. Maria Hernandez (no relation to Carlos) was shot in the abdomen. Julio Rivera, from Edinburg, was also wounded. Both of the women are from San Juan. All three of the wounded were college employees while the guard was a contractor. The two instigators fled in a white sedan with their loot.
THE ONE WHO DIED:
|
Carlos Hernandez, 32 |
THE INJURED:
| Maria Hernandez, 27 | Julio Rivera, 20 | Melinda Singleterry, 19 |
Source: Austin American-Statesman - 1 Dead, 3 Hurt in Shooting at College Registration; Houston Chronicle - Police Looking for 2 Gunmen Who Killed College Guard, Shot 3 Others in McAllen
Spingarn High School, Washington, D. C.
Tuesday, January 13, 1998
After unsuccessfully flirting with 16-year-old Adilah Gaither outside the school, 17-year-old Octavious M. Clark shot and killed her. Witnesses said that Octavious was in agitated emotional state and became enraged with Adilah.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Ventura High School, Ventura, California
Thursday, February 5, 1998
A group of students is assailed by five shots fired from a gunman as they stand in front of their school.
Hoboken High School, Hoboken, New Jersey
Thursday, February 12, 1998
After graduating from Hoboken High School and getting a teaching degree, John A. Sacci returned to his alma mater to teach English and coach the girls softball team. During the next 23 years, John worked very hard and was awarded Hoboken High's Teacher of the Year in 1993. Today, after school was over and before a weight training program for the softball team, John went to his car to put a few things away. As he was unlocking his Mercedes at 3:10 p.m., Geraisimof Metaxas ambushed the good teacher from behind and fired four shots from a .380-caliber automatic pistol. The 48-year-old teacher was struck three times, in the left eye, right cheek and right chest. Geraisimof slowly walked away and said nothing to the few witnesses who were still at the school. He walked about a block away through Columbus Park, with the witnesses following, where he committed suicide. Geraisimof, 61, believed that his wife was having an affair with John and had stalked John for almost a year. John was happily married with four daughters and was not having an affair with Geraisimof's wife.
Source: The Star Ledger - Stalker Kills Teacher, Then Himself, By School
Reed City High School, Reed City, Michigan
Wednesday, February 25, 1998
A couple of days ago, eighth-grader Vincent Garofalo, told his friends that something big was going to happen between then and his 14th birthday on Thursday, February 26, 1998 that would cause him to not be around for the event. Today, Vincent followed through with his word by smuggling in a .22-caliber rifle in his guitar case. He stood in front of his locker and shot himself in the head, committing suicide.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
George C. Marshall High School, Fairfax, Virginia
Friday, February 27, 1998
About 12:20 this afternoon, David Albrecht drove his Chevrolet Monte Carlo into Marshall's rear parking lot. With him in the car was a former student who had recently quit school. Right behind him was a dark-colored sports utility vehicle. The SUV pulled up along side of David's Monte Carlo and the driver pulled out a .22-caliber rifle. Two to three shots were fired before the SUV left the parking lot. David, 17, was struck in the head and died from his wounds. His passenger, an 18-year-old, had escaped injury by ducking down. Police were later able to confirm that this shooting was done by members of the Tiny Rascals Asian youth gang.
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch - Teenager Shot at High School, Gang Rivalries Under Investigation; National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Pacific High School, Ventura, California
Monday, March 2, 1998
At 8:25 this morning, five male gang members, one 17-year-old and four 16-year-olds, stormed into a classroom at the Ventura Boys & Girls Club. The picked up a chair and beat a 16-year-old boy over the head with it. As a result, the unnamed boy sustained a two-inch gash on his head from this beating. The unnamed boy is a member of a rival gang from Oxnard. Even though it happened at the Boys & Girls Club, I am counting as act of school violence because Pacific High School uses rooms at the club as a satellite site for continuing education classes. The five gang members were charged with assault, battery on school grounds and participation in a criminal street gang. On Wednesday, March 18, 1998, the five male gang members pleaded guilty to assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury. A week later, another 17-year-old male, who was an associate of the gang and not a full-fledged member, admitted his involvement in the beating.
Source: L.A. Times - 5 Teenagers to Be Charged in Classroom Attack; L.A. Times - 5 Gang Members Admit to Beating Rival, 16, at High School; L.A. Times - Youth Admits He Was Involved in Beating
Rio Mesa High School, Oxnard, California
Monday, March 9, 1998
A large group of students were eating lunch on the school's lawn at 12:20 this afternoon when several youths nearby began shouting at each other. The "several youths" contained gang members from Oxnard's La Colonia High School neighborhood and students from El Rio. Two of the La Colonia gang members yelled something along the lines of, "You guys want a piece of us?" The two groups then began to fight, throwing punches, grabbing each other's shirts and the like. During the melee, Eric Padilla, one of the La Colonia gang members who yelled the challenge, pulled out a knife. He stabbed a 16-year-old boy in the leg and then plunged the knife into the back of a 14-year-old boy. Both of the injured boys were from El Rio. The knife punctured the younger boy's lung. Rio Mesa campus supervisors rushed in and tackled Eric but were unable to catch the second instigator. Paramedics and sheriff's deputies swarmed the school and began piecing things together. The younger boy was taken to St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard before being transferred to Ventura County Medical Center for more precise treatment. The older boy was treated and released from St. John's. Eric, 18, was arrested shortly after the attack.
Source: L.A. Times - Intruder Stabs 2 Teens at Rio Mesa High
Central Avenue Elementary School, Summit, Washington
Monday, March 9, 1998
Rival gangs from the Puyallup and Franklin Pierce school districts have had a month long dispute. Today, they decided to come together at this elementary school to fight it out. During the fight, with fists and knives, Aaron Ducharme was stabbed to death and two other students were wounded by Jeffrey Lance Pennick II. Aaron, 17, was a student at Franklin Pierce High School. Jeffrey was arrested and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree assault and third-degree assault. Jeffrey, 18, was sentenced to 23 years and 12 months in prison.
Source: The School Violence Watch Network
East Campus Educational Center (High School), Merced, California
Friday, March 20, 1998
After a gang's slogan had been erased, three male gang members came to the center today for revenge. The trio stabbed to death 17-year-old Aurelio Robles. On August 1, 1998, Javier Manzo, also 17, was sentenced to 15 years to life in the California Youth Authority.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Westside Middle School, Jonesboro, Arkansas
Tuesday, March 24, 1998
On Tuesday, Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, missed their bus to school. Mitchell drove his father's van to Andrew's home and took a .357 Magnum, a .38-caliber snub nose and a .38-caliber derringer. Then they broke into Andrew's grandfather's basement and stole a Remington semiautomatic .30-.06, a .44-caliber Ruger Magnum, a replica of a .30 caliber WWII era M-1 carbine and another gun along with hundreds of rounds. They found a densely forested spot near the school yard. At 12:35 p.m., Andrew pulled the fire alarm, then rushed back out to the hiding brush. As students came out from the school, Mitchell opened fire with the .44 Ruger Magnum while Andrew used the M-2 carbine. The pair killed four students and one teacher, all female. They wounded 9 others. The two boys were convicted of murder and attempted murder as juveniles. On Thursday, August 11, 2005, Mitchell Johnson, now 21, was released from the federal prison in Memphis, Tennessee. Andrew Golden is set for release in May 2007.
THOSE WHO DIED:
|
Natalie Brooks, 12 |
Paige Ann Herring, 12 |
|
Stephanie Johnson, 12 |
Britthney Varner, 11 |
|
Shannon Wright, 32 |
|
THE INJURED:
|
Christina Amer, 13 |
Amanda Barnes, 13 |
Ashleey Betts, 12 |
|
|
Jenna Brooks, 12 |
Whitney Irving, 11 |
Jennifer Jacobs, 12 |
|
|
Brittney Lambie, 13 |
Tristian McGowan, 13 |
Candace Porter, 11 |
|
|
Sara Thetford, 42 |
One unknown |
||
Westside Links Facts from Jonesboro Memorial Page for Westside School Victims Remember the Fallen: A Westside Middle School Tragedy Memorial The Jonesboro Shootings- Kids Shooting Kids Westside Fund Victims of the Victims
Source: WMCTV Channel 5 - Victim Speaks Out About Shooter's Release
Coldwater High School, Coldwater, Michigan
Wednesday, March 25, 1998
The next morning in Michigan, 18-year-old Harley Davidson Carlisle pulled up to the school, locked the doors to his car, threw a note outside the window and committed suicide with a 12-guage shogun while still in his car. Several students witness this suicide.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Fernando Rivera Middle School, Daly City, California
Wednesday, March 25, 1998
Three weeks ago a 13-year-old boy was sent home for getting into an argument. The boy held a grudge against his principle for three long weeks before it got to him and he acted on it. As students were heading to class at 815 this morning in the courtyard, the boy pulled out a chrome plated .25-caliber pistol and fired a shot at his principal, Matteo Rizzo. He missed, then tossed the gun into a bush before going to his math class. He was apprehended. Principal Rizzo said the boy "was a good student with no chronic disciplinary problems."
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
A Middle School in New York City, New York
Thursday, March 26, 1998
A 14-year-old boy used a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol to fire a shot off at his principal, Matteo Rizzo. The shot missed and the boy and returned to the school for his math class. This happened at the start of the school day in a courtyard.
Grey Culbreth Middle School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Monday, March 30, 1998
Four days later, a 13-year-old girl committed suicide in a rest room at her school by putting a gun to her head and firing.
Oakfield Middle School, Oakfield, Wisconsin
Tuesday, March 31, 1998
This afternoon a 14-year-old boy fired five shots through the doors to his middle school. Classes were in progress and the bullets narrowly missed a classmate. Our young unidentified instigator was judged to be delinquent, said he was upset over a bad report card.
Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel - Another School Shooting Rampage (published May 22, 1998); Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel - After Tragedies, Schools Learn to Go On (published November 23, 1998)
A High School in Tourcoing, France
Wednesday, April 1, 1998
In this northern French town near Lille, police say that and 18-year-old male student was killed today when he dared a friend to fire what he said an unloaded pistol at his head during a lesson. Police are investing to see if this was an accident, or disguised as a suicide attempt.
Roosevelt High School, Yonkers, New York
Tuesday, April 7, 1998
27-year-old social studies teacher Dawn Jawrower had just given her students a test on India when ninth-grader Jalise Salvatto knocked on her classroom door a little after 8 a.m. Dawn opened the door and the 15-year-old immediately began attacking Dawn with a claw hammer. Jalise slammed the hammer into Dawn's head twice and at least six times on her neck and right shoulder before students Omar Gilchrest, Jomary Cosme and Bernadette Boswell, who entered the room from the hallway, could wrestle Jalise to the floor. Jalise attacked her 5-week pregnant teacher because she had called her parents about her misbehavior and disappointing grades. Jalise was grounded and missed her prom. Dawn was still able to give birth to a healthy baby boy. Omar, Jomary and Bernadette were rewarded for their acts of courage by many organizations.
Source: A Survivor of Roosevelt High School
Culver City High School, Culver City, California
Wednesday, April 22, 1998
The gangs of LA reached into Culver City with a drive-by shooting at Culver City High School. Police believe a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old opened fire on two former students from CCHS as they drove by the school today. The shooters wounded the former students. All four individuals have affiliations with gangs based in Los Angeles.
Source: Visitor to this site
James W. Parker Middle School, Edinboro, Pennsylvania
Friday, April 24, 1998
On Friday night, April 24, the eighth-grade prom dance was being held at Nick's Place, a banquet hall just off Pennsylvania State Route 99. All of the teens there were dressed in their finest, except one, 14-year-old Andrew "Satan" Wurst. He was dressed in baggy pants and untied shoes. As the dance was coming to a close around 10:00 p.m. with the final song being "My Heart Will Go On," from Titanic, teacher John Gillette, 48, was starting to round up the teens. Andrew approached him and shot him in the face with a .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol. As John fell to the floor, Andrew shot him in the back. Panicked teens screamed and ran for cover, except for 15-year-old Justin Fletcher, who dared the young murderer to fire again. Andrew called his bluff and fired a shot toward Justin. His aim was off as the bullet struck Robert Zemcik in his right big toe. Andrew then turned the gun on the cowering students and opened fire. One of the bullets struck Jacob "Jake" Tury in the left side of this back. Andrew fled the hall as the song concluded, but his sloppy dressing foiled him and he was easily overtaken, tackled and held until police arrived.
THE ONE WHO DIED:
|
John Gillette, 48 |
THE INJURED:
| Jacob "Jake" Tury, 14 | Robert Zemcik, 14 | Unidentified student |
Pardeeville Elementary School, Pardeeville, Wisconsin
Tuesday, April 28, 1998
Michael T. Lareau drove down from his home in Wyocena to Pardeeville Elementary School today for mischief. He met up with some friends and they decided to carjack somebody. Those chose Ralph Pulver, the school's custodian. As Ralph was leaving the school, Michael shot him through a door and wounded him in the eye. Michael, 16, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for this school shooting.
Source: http://www.madison.com/library/LEE/schoolviolence.html
Philadelphia Elementary School, Pomona, California
Tuesday, April 28, 1998
While playing basketball hours after school had ended, Hector Lopez and Andre Azocar are shot and killed by a 14-year-old on this Tuesday afternoon. A third boy was wounded. Police speculated that a disagreement between the boys led to the shooting.
THOSE WHO DIED:
| Andre Azocar, 17 | Hector Manuel Lopez, 14 |
Source: Visitor to this site
Public School 18 (Elementary), Buffalo, New York
Friday, May 1, 1998
While dropping off their two children this morning at the school, Norma, 30, and Juan A. Roman, 37, were arguing. He killed her and wounded a teacher's aid. Juan worked as deputy sheriff in the Buffalo area.
A High School in Iguatu, Parana, Brazil
Friday, May 1, 1998
That evening, down in Brazil, Gilcimar Bianchi hijacked a school bus and forced everyone off the bus, except his 16-year-old girlfriend. Gilcimar was upset that she wanted to break off the relationship, so he shot her and then himself. The two were still listed in critical condition in a hospital late Saturday night.
King Estates Middle School, Oakland, California
Thursday, May 7, 1998
While trying to fighting off her attacker in the school parking lot, 28-year-old Tracye Scott was stabbed to death.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
John H. Woodson Junior High School, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Friday, May 15, 1998
An unnamed 14-year-old boy stabbed 15-year-old Kevin Tavernier once in the chest for an undisclosed reason today. Kevin died from this stab wound.
Source: The Virgin Islands Daily News - Shooting Death at School Traumatizes Community (published 6-2-04)
Lincoln County High School, Fayetteville, Tennessee
Tuesday, May 19, 1998
Honor student Jacob Davis, 18, shot and killed his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend three days before graduation. Tonya, Jacob's girlfriend, was still seeing 18-year-old Robert "Nick" Creson while he was dating another girl. Jacob used a .22-caliber rifle to execute Nick. Jacob was sentenced to 51 years in prison for the shooting.
Source: Visitor to this web site
Jersey Village High School, Houston, Texas
Thursday, May 21, 1998
The first school shooting today happened in Houston when 17-year-old Marko Antonio Guerrero brought a .38-caliber revolver to school with him in his backpack. Earlier he had been threatened while off campus and felt the need to have a gun with him. During ninth-grade biology class, just before 3 p.m., another student was handing Marko his backpack when the gun went off. The bullet struck Jaimie Anderson, 15, in her leg. Marko ran from the building and got on a school bus. He was arrested at his home on Snail Hollow Drive. Jaimie was transported to Spring Branch Medical Center where she was treated for the wound. Marko was charged with a third-degree felony of taking a gun to school.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Wounding of Student at School Spurs Charge
Onalaska High School, Onalaska, Washington
Thursday, May 21, 1998
The second school shooting of the day happened in Onalaska when 15-year-old Miles Fox boarded his high school bus with a gun in his hand. He ordered his girlfriend off the bus and took her to his home. There he killed himself by shooting a bullet into his head.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Thurston High School, Springfield, Oregon
Thursday, May 21, 1998
The third school shooting of the day, and most well known, actually started on Wednesday, May 20, when 15-year-old Kip Kinkel had gotten into trouble for having a stolen .32 Beretta semiautomatic handgun at school. Kip's friend Korey actually brought the gun to the school and passed it to Kip. Korey's father noticed the gun missing from his home and called police. The police informed the officer at Thurston High and Kip was questioned about the gun. Police found the gun and took Kip to the police station where they booked and fingerprinted him. Under Oregon law, a person can be released for being in possession of a stolen weapon. So, Kip was sent home with his father and was facing expulsion at school. After they got home he killed his father and waited patiently for his mother to return home, three hours later. She died in the doorway. The next morning, Thursday, May 21, Kip drove his parent's car to school wearing his khaki colored trench coat and carrying a semiautomatic .22-caliber rifle, a .22-caliber handgun and a Glock pistol. As he made his way to the building, he opened fire on his classmates. The bullets struck Ben Walker and Ryan Atteberry. He kicked opened the door to the cafeteria and continued his rampage. The rifle ran out of ammunition and while he frantically tried to reload it, five boys gang-tackled him. Jacob Ryker and Adam Walburger, both of who had already been wounded, were part of the gang that brought Kip down. However, Kip was still able to pull a Glock and put a bullet through Jacob's left index finger. The pistol was ripped away immediately and the bullet then landed in Joshua Pearson's buttocks. When the police asked him why, he said, "I had no other choice." During the police interview, he told the detective, "I just want to die." Kip has been sentenced to 112 years in prison for the murders.
THOSE WHO DIED:
|
Faith Kinkel, 59 |
William Kinkel, 57 |
|
Mikael Nickolauson, 17 |
Ben Walker, 16 |
THE INJURED:
|
Jennifer Alldrege, 17 |
Ryan Atteberry, 17 |
Sara Branom, 16 |
|
Nichole Buckholtz, 17 |
Tony Case, 17 |
Nathan Cole, 18 |
|
Tabitha Fain, 14 |
Mellissa Femrite, 16 |
Trina Harty, 17 |
|
Kyle Howes, 16 |
Betina Lynn, 18 |
Carolyn McClain, 15 |
|
Elizabeth McKenzie, 15 |
Tara McMullen, 17 |
Teresa Miltonberger, 16 |
|
Christina Osbourn, 17 |
Joshua Pearson, 17 |
Richard Peek, 17 |
|
Amber Ramsey, 15 |
Jacob Ryker, 17 |
Melissa Taylor, 15 |
|
Gabriel Thomas, 17 |
Jesse Walley, 16 | Adam Walburger, 17 |
Source: Babyface Killers by Clifford Linedecker; Houston Chronicle - Oregon School Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, 26 Wounded; Houston Chronicle - Teen Accused of Killing 4 Faces Judge
Thurston Links A Site Dedicated to the Thurston High School Shooting Facts from Springfield
Rialto High School, Rialto, California
Thursday, May 21, 1998
The fourth school shooting today happened in California. Ricardo Martin had been teased about the way he dressed and found out recently that he would have to repeat the ninth grade. At school today, the 15-year-old boy committed suicide with a shot to the head from a .38-caliber pistol.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
Washington Middle School, Pasadena, California
Wednesday, May 27, 1998
In a gang related shooting, 14-year-old Salvador Gabriel Diaz and 20-year-old Cesar Escamilla were shot as they stood outside of Washington Middle School this evening around 6:15. Salvador died when a bullet ripped into his torso. Cesar was shot in the back, taken to the hospital and listed in serious condition.
Source: Los Angeles Times - News in Brief: Pasadena; Boy, 14, Killed, Man Wounded at Middle School
Friday, May 29, 1998
Earlier in the week, sweethearts Michael Gramming and Nicole Weiser broke up. On Friday, in the school's parking lot where Nicole worked as a speech therapist, Michael kills her, then turns the gun on himself.
THOSE WHO DIED:
|
killer Michael Gramming, 29 |
Nicole Weiser, 26 |
Armstrong High School, Richmond, Virginia
Monday, June 15, 1998
Today, basketball coach and history teacher Gregory Carter, 45, and Eloise Wilson, 74, a Head Start volunteer were wounded by 14-year-old Quinshawn Booker in the hallway of Armstrong High. Quinshawn used a .32 caliber Llama semiautomatic handgun to wound Gregory in the abdomen, and grazed Eloise.
Source: Survivor of this school shooting
John F. Kennedy Special (Middle) School, Stratford, East London, England
June 1998
A 14-year-old boy with vision and mobility problems came up behind teacher Judith Waugh, 49, covered her face with his hands and forced his fingernails into her skin. Although the facial injuries were minor, the mental anguish suffered by Judith was severe. She can't have anyone behind her and she gets very anxious going into unknown buildings and rooms. The boy required constant attention and two classroom assistants were needed to manage him, information that Judith was unaware of.
Source: BBC News - Teacher Sues After Attack By Pupil
Burbank High School, Burbank, California
Friday, July 10, 1998
A 16-year-old boy didn't like the attentions that his girlfriend was receiving from 17-year-old Adam Smith. The two fought it out in the school's parking lot today and our young instigator stabbed Adam to death.
Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths
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