Herbert Hoover High School, Glendale, California

Thursday, September 10, 1998

During a lunchtime fist fight between two boys on the school's parking lot, 15-year-old Avetis "Avo" Demirchyan was seriously wounded.  He was rushed to the hospital and died on Saturday.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

North Miami Senior High School, Miami, Florida

Tuesday, September 29, 1998

Two unidentified teens smuggled a gun past the school's security guard, and five cameras, and opened fire in a hallway outside the cafeteria.  The shooting began around 12:30 p.m.  Jackie Valcourt, 15, was wounded in the thigh while Reginald Georges, 17, was grazed in the neck by the bullet.  Business education teacher Lesonie Walker was hit in her right thumb.  The two male shooters were aiming for another student who they lost a fist-fight with on Monday.  They fled the scene. Two days later, police arrested 17-year-old Felly Petit-Frere, a junior, for firing the shot from a semiautomatic weapon and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Police also apprehended Occi Eliezer, 18, for trespassing on school grounds

San Juan High School, Sacramento, California

Monday, October 5, 1998

In a wood shed near the woodshop classroom of San Juan High School, 15-year-old Vladimir Gayduchik was beaten to death with a 12-inch long pipe.  No reason for this attack was given.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

Landmark Middle School, Moreno Valley, California

Friday, October 23, 1998

An argument over who could use the school's basketball court escalated to a fist fight and that climaxed in a death.  A 14-year-old boy punched 12-year-old Jerod Schroeder in the side of head and Jerod collapsed to the ground.  He was unconscious and rushed to the hospital where he later died from head and neck injuries.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

Three High Schools in Göteborg, Sweden

Thursday, October 29, 1998

372 young adults packed into a dance hall that was built to hold 150 people in this bustling port 300 miles southwest of Stockholm.  This group consisted of 207 boys and 165 girls, ranging in age from 12 to 25.  Not all were native Swedes, but they were raised in Sweden.  The dance hall was rented by four young people from the Macedonian Association.  Shoresh Kaveh, 19, and his pals tried to enter the party, but he didn't want to pay the 40 Swedish kroner ($5) entrance fee.  He was hoping to get in just by recognition.  Around 11:30 p.m., Shoresh and his pals set a chair on fire in the stairwell, which led to an emergency exit, of the packed dance hall.  Smoke started coming from under the emergency exit door and shortly thereafter, the DJ announces a fire has erupted.  The fire soon spreads to the dancing area and the young adults start screaming and running.  The fire quickly spreads to the roof and the fire alarm goes off.  At 11:42 p.m., the DJ calls 112 (911) to report the fire.  The first rescue team arrives seven minutes later.  Some of the young adults who were trapped inside the inferno tried to save themselves by climbing out through the windows, almost six feet above the floor and throw themselves to safety.  From the windows there is about a 20 foot drop to the ground below, and many of the jumpers are injured and some die from the sudden stop.  The windows on the other side cannot be used because of grills covering them. 63 dancing teenagers were burned to death and almost 200 others were injured in the blaze. The injured are rushed to hospitals all over Göteborg and Sweden, with some even going to Norway for treatment.  Just after 2:00 a.m. on Friday, the 30th, the fire is extinguished.  Most of those who died attended three area high schools: Angereds High School, Bergsjoen and Biskopsgaarden. On January 3, 2000, three men (ages 19 and 20) were arrested by the police.  They had participated in the party and were suspects in starting the blaze.  They denied the charges.  A month later, a forth man (age 18) was arrested.  He was friends with the trio.  On April 26, 2000, the four men were prosecuted for first degree arson.  According to the prosecution, three of them had made threats, a week before the party, to destroy the dance if they were not allowed to get in for free.  While trying to get in, the four had made a fuss about the entrance fee and later on messed up with others.  After awhile, they had left the party.  Shoresh then opened up the door and let the others into the stairwell area.  Flammable liquid, pieces of papers and some chairs were used to start the fire in order to destroy the dance.  One of the four admitted he started the fire.  All deny the crime they were prosecuted for.  On June 8, 2000, the four were found guilty and sentenced.  The penalty for arson in Sweden is six years to life in prison, however, no one under 21 can get a life sentence.  Two of the arsonists got six years in prison, one received an eight year sentence and the fourth was put away for three years in a restricted reformatory home for youngsters.  On September 5, 2000, all four had appealed the ruling to the Swedish Supreme Court, however, the court upheld the sentencing.  The court records are available to the public for research.

THOSE WHO DIED:

Wetumpka Junior High School, Wetumpka, Alabama

Thursday, November 5, 1998

A fight between two boys climaxed when the unnamed 13-year-old stabbed Je'cordy Buycks,12, in the head.  Je'cordy died from this attack.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

University High School, Orange County, Florida

Wednesday, December 9, 1998

Omar Witt, a 20-year-old black construction worker, showed up at the high school after classes looking for Mark Thornton, 16, allegedly to confront him about harassing a girl.  Someone shouted a racial slur at Omar and he punched Mark in the temple.  Mark went down and never got up again.  Mark was pronounced dead as he arrived at the hospital.  Omar was arrested and charged with second degree murder. 

Heworth Grange Comprehensive (High) School, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England

December 1998

Central High School, Carrollton, Georgia

Friday, January 8, 1999

A planned suicide pact became a murder-suicide pact between Andrea Garrett, 15, and her 17-year-old boyfriend Jeff Miller.  The two went into one of the girl's restroom at Central High and Jeff killed Andrea with a .22-caliber pistol he had taken from his home.  After shooting Andrea, Jeff shot himself, however, he had a much more painful death as he was still in intensive care on Saturday.  Jeff eventually died from the self-inflicted gunshot and completed the pact.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

Harry S. Truman High School, New York City, New York

Thursday, January 14, 1999

Two students were shot today as they stood outside this Bronx high school.  They were standing near the curb in front of the school when a man jumped out of an idling green car, approached them and began firing from a semiautomatic pistol.  Of the two victims, one was an 18-year-old who was shot in the back; the other student was shot in the leg, and is 16-years-old.  The older victim fell to the ground and rolled down an embankment toward the school.  The younger victim tried to get away, limping down the road as the gunman jumped back into his car. The getaway car didn't get far as it crashed into a tree on the icy street.  Both of the injured students were taken to Jacobi Medical Center and treated for their wounds.  Police believe the 9 a.m. shooting was connected to the stabbing on Wednesday afternoon, in which two students were hurt.  In the knife attack, a 16- and 17-year-old were slashed near a footbridge over the New England Thruway in front of the school by Tashan Simmons, 20, of Baychester.  The police had increased security at the school after the stabbing, which took place off campus.  The police later found the gun and took 16-year-old Camillo Douglas into custody, although from the news story, it doesn't say if he had been charged. 

Source: The New York Times - 2 Students Shot Outside Bronx High School

Richland High School, North Richland Hills, Texas

Thursday, January 21, 1999

The taunting by his peers was just to much for 15-year-old Randall James.  He went into a bathroom stall, pulled out a 9mm pistol and shot himself in the head.  The sophomore died in this suicide 

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

Woodlands Elementary School, Verdun, Quebec, Canada

February 1999

Ombudsman Educational Service Center (High School), Elgin, Illinois

Thursday, February 11, 1999

Jefferson - Todd Educational Center (Middle School), Purvis, Mississippi

Thursday, February 11, 1999

Banner Elk Elementary School, Greenville, North Carolina

Thursday, March 11, 1999

Today, at a school for troubled youths, 9-year-old Timithy Thomas began acting up in class.  A worker at the school placed the young boy in a basket hold.  Timithy died from asphyxiation while in the basket hold. 

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

Notus High School, Notus, Idaho

Friday, April 16, 1999

Shawn Cooper, 16, wrapped a 12-gauge shotgun in a blanket and carried to his school on the bus this morning.  At about 8:20 a.m., he threatened a secretary and students with the gun.  He fired twice into a door and at the floor.  He surrendered without any reported injuries.

Columbine High School, Littleton, Colorado

Tuesday, April 20, 1999

(Webmaster's note: When I posted the information that was previously here, I believed my visitors would know enough about the Columbine massacre that I wouldn't need to recount the horrific details of the massacre itself.  I still believe that to be true.  However, several high school and college students have found this site and are researching school violence, using the information on this page for a reference.  It is for that reason, and that reason alone, that I have changed the summarized events of the Columbine massacre that was previously posted here to the more descriptive events below.  The horrific events below truly set the Columbine massacre apart from any other school shooting, with possibility the exception of the shootings at the University of Texas in 1966, the worst school shooting in US history. This detailed account is 95% accurate, taken mainly from the official Jefferson County Sheriff's Columbine Report issued May 15, 2000.  Through other documents that have been released, some of which contradict the report, I went with the most reasonable information.  For my Littleton visitors, please skip over this information, it is not intended for your eyes.)

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold arrive at Columbine High School a little after 11 a.m. and carry two duffel bags filled with propane bombs into the cafeteria.  They leave the school and go outside to wait for the bombs to explode.  A faulty connection prevents the bombs from detonating.  The killers decide to storm the school with their two sawed off shotguns, a HiPoint 9mm carbine, an illegal TEC-DC9 semiautomatic gun and a plethora of homemade bombs.  They cross the soccer field and start walking toward the outside staircase.  On this sidewalk is where Eric meets up with Brooks Brown and tells him to go home.  At the top of the staircase, Eric begins the massacre by killing Rachel Scott and injuring Richard Castaldo.  Meanwhile, Dylan turns toward the staircase and fires into the backs of Daniel Rohrbough, Lance Kirklin and Sean Graves.  He continues firing and injures Michael Johnson and Mark Taylor.  Dylan then goes down the stairs, blows off Lance’s jaw as he cries for help, then kills Daniel.  Eric, after finishing with Rachel, turns to the open field and the baseball diamond shooting one of his guns and wounds Anne Marie Hochhalter.  He then turns back around and blasts the set of double glass doors, just as teacher Patti Nielson and student Brian Anderson were about to come out and see what was happening.  Patti runs into the library and dials 911, Eric and Dylan walk inside the shattered doorway, guns a blazing.  By this time, Deputy Neil Gardner arrives and exchanges gunfire with Eric.  Dylan, meanwhile is shooting in the western hallway, wounding Stephanie Munson.  Dave Sanders comes up the stairs from the cafeteria and is shot in the back.  He crawls out of the killer’s sight down the eastern hallway toward Science Room 3.  Eric and Dylan enter the library, with Eric’s first shots striking Evan Todd as he stands at the copier.  Evan is wounded and hides under the check out counter.  Dylan’s first shots kill Kyle Velasquez, who is still sitting at a computer desk.  Dylan also injures Daniel Steepleton, Makai Hall and Patrick Ireland.  Eric kills Steven Curnow, wounds Kasey Ruegsegger, then kills Cassie Bernall by sticking his gun under the table and saying “Peek-a-boo.”  Because of the way he was holding his gun, the kick from it gives him a bloody nose.  Dylan shoots Patrick again.  Eric taunts and kills Isaiah Shoels, probably by first grazing the back of his head, then fatally shooting him in the chest.  Dylan kills Matt Kechter, while Craig Scott lies in between his now two dead friends.   Eric then tosses a bomb toward Makai, who grabs it and throws it further away from himself, and away from anybody else.  The bomb explodes causing little injury.  Dylan walks to the other side of the library and injures Mark Kintgen, Valeen Schnurr and Lisa Kreutz.  He then kills Lauren Townsend.  At this point Valeen is taunted for her belief in God, but Dylan moves on without injuring her further.  Eric comes over to where Dylan is and injures Nicole Nowlin and John Tomlin, but Dylan kills John shortly thereafter.  Eric kills Kelly Fleming, hits Lauren’s body in a spray of bullets and injures Jeanna Park and Lisa Kreutz, again.  Dylan finds one of his friends, and lets him leave the library. Eric, meanwhile, kills Daniel Mauser.  Corey DePooter is shot by both killers and dies, while Jennifer Doyle and Austin Eubanks, who were hiding with him are injured.  Dylan slams a chair atop the checkout counter that Patti Nielson and Evan Todd are hiding under, and then the killers leave the library.  They go to the cafeteria, rather dejected, and try to detonate the propane bombs with gunfire, but that fails as well.  They go back to library, where everybody except Patrick, Lisa and Patti has fled, Eric lights a molative cocktail, and then they commit suicide.  Through all of this, Dave Sanders lies bleeding to death in Science Room 3 where two eagle scouts try desperately to save him.  Between 3 and 4 pm, a SWAT team reaches Science Room 3, and against the pleas of the students, they escort them out and leave Dave behind.  He dies in the arms of the SWAT team as they try to carry him out. The killers caused over $1 million in damages to Columbine High School.  See The Angels and The Survivors for comments and more information of those who are forever linked to this tragedy, the worst high school shooting in US history.

THOSE WHO DIED:

THE INJURED:

Scotlandville Middle School, Scotlandville, Louisiana

Thursday, April 22, 1999

Just two days later, the first act of school violence to happen after the Columbine massacre happens today with shots ringing out again on a school campus, this time in the suburbs of Baton Rouge.  This act of violence wasn't even reported in most markets due to the massive Columbine coverage. Last night two boys argued over an unknown topic and today Murphy Young was going to resolve his personal vendetta.  Using a .22-caliber pistol, Murphy hid in the trees at the back of the school and waited for his target to come into view. About 12:30 this afternoon, two students were walking to the school's concession stand to buy snacks when several gunshots came at them.  Only one bullet hit one of the two students, a boy and a 14-year-old eighth grade girl.  The bullet hit her in the jaw and she rushed inside for help.  She was transported to Baton Rouge General Medical Center Mid-City but was released by the end of the day.  Within hours, police had arrested the gunman and his accomplice, Jonathan Wells, both 14-year-old boys who had been expelled from Scotlandville Middle School last semester for fighting, classroom disruption and general disrespect for authority. Police charged Murphy with attempted first-degree murder and believe the intended target was the boy.  However, by the following Wednesday, Murphy was released on a $10,000 bond and Jonathan was released two days earlier.  Traces of gunpowder were not found on Murphy's hand and so far the gun is still missing.  Police arrested an unnamed 13-year-old boy for the shooting, but didn't elaborate any further.

Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Atlanta, Georgia

Thursday, April 22, 1999

Later this same evening, shots are fired at another school, this time in Atlanta and the death toll isn't anywhere near what it was on Tuesday. After attending a jazz and dance recital at the school, 13-year-old Geno Thomas and a group of people were in the parking lot.  The seventh-grader was a member of the school band and was shot in the back from a revolver about 9:45 this evening.  Geno was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital where he died at 5 a.m. on Friday morning.  Nobody else was injured in this shooting. Witnesses were able to provide police with a suspect, a boy who went by the name of "Bubba." By Saturday, 17-year-old Horace Holt Jr., also known as "Bubba," was in jail. 

W. R. Myers High School, Taber, Alberta, Canada

Wednesday, April 28, 1999

Todd Cameron Smith was unhappy at Myers and dropped out to begin home schooling.  The 14-year-old boy returned to the school at lunch time wearing a long winter coat.  Some of the students asked him if he had a gun under his trench coat, much like the killers of Columbine.  As the students continued to talk with Todd, he pulled a .22 caliber sawed-off rifle and fired four shots into them.  The shots struck, and killed, Jason Lang and injured Shane Christmas, both 17-years-old.  This was Canada's first fatal high school shooting in 20 years.  Todd has a congenital heart condition and suffered a stroke while in surgery.  The stroke affected his ability to reason and speak, so the officials waited for him to recovery before proceeding with his trial a year later.  He was charged with murder.   In 2000, Todd was convicted of two counts attempted murder and first degree murder.  He was sentenced to three years secure custody. Since Todd is a minor, his name was not released by Canadian authorities.  However, by his own stupidity, he can now be named.  On Monday, August 15, 2005, Todd left a halfway house in Toronto without permission or an escort.  Police received permission to reveal his name as they searched for the now 20-year-old man.  The next day, Todd was arrested in the Toronto area and charged with escaping lawful custody.  As of Halloween 2006, the courts are trying to sentence Todd to adult jail time.

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

May 1999

In a bizarre turn of events, the principal is the instigator of this act of school violence. The students at the school were demanding a .30 cent refund on a planned trip.  The refund was denied and the students got angry.  The students threw stones and insults at the principal and teacher until they were able to lock themselves in the library.  However, the students kept coming and tried to break into the library.  The principal and a teacher opened fire on the teens.  They killed one pupil and injured two others.  Unfortunately, I don't know how the principal and the teacher obtained the firearms while they were in the library to carry out this attack.

Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center, Costa Mesa, California

Monday, May 3, 1999

King Khalid High School, Tameer, Saudi Arabia

Wednesday, May 19, 1999

A rare act of school violence takes place today in this strict Muslim country with low crime.  A male student had a dispute with his classmates, although what that dispute was over was not reported.  He asked permission to leave the classroom for a few moments.  He returned in short order with an automatic pistol and opened fire on his classmates and teacher.  He was overpowered by teachers when he tried to flee and handed over to the police.  No one was injured in this school shooting.

Source: Washington Post news story and a visitor to this site

Heritage High School, Conyers, Georgia

Thursday, May 20, 1999

One month after the shootings at Columbine, six students were injured on Thursday morning by 15-year-old Thomas "T. J." Solomon wielding a .22-caliber rifle and a .22-caliber revolver.  He aimed low at his classmates as they ate breakfast in the school's common area.  All of his victims were shot in the legs. After firing off up to six rounds, T. J. ran outside the cafeteria and encountered Assistant Principal Cecil Brinkley.  The young shooter dropped to his knees and put the rifle in his mouth like he was going to shoot himself.  T. J. apparently changed his mind and put the gun down beside on the ground. Cecil then called back into the school saying everything was going to be alright before T. J. brought the gun to Cecil, handed it to him and then put his arms around him.  T. J. was reportedly depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend.

THE INJURED:

Olifantsvlei Primary School, Eikenhof, South Africa

Thursday, June 10, 1999