School Violence 1999-2000

Violence in Our Schools

August 1, 1999 through July 31, 2000

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.

Jasper County High School, Monticello, Georgia

Wednesday, August 25, 1999

Early this morning 16-year-old Amanda Gaylynne Tanquary drove her pickup to school and parked in the parking lot. She pulls out a gun and shoots herself in the head. A teacher found her body just after classes began for the day.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; National School Safety and Security Services web site

Vines High School, Plano, Texas

Tuesday, September 7, 1999

Two days ago, Brent Austin, 16, and his brother spoke. Brent was excited about his band and his new girlfriend. With the school year just getting underway, he was popular, outgoing, had lots of friends and smiled constantly. For an unknown reason, Brent committed suicide with a gunshot to his chest in a bathroom stall in his high school around midday. A line of students from the school stretched out the door into the parking lot at his wake. A memorial plaque of Brent hangs in the high school. Brent was a well-loved student.

Santa Teresa High School, San Jose, California

Thursday, September 9, 1999

Friends called 16-year-old Marcos Sarabia a happy and gregarious teen. He was well known on campus. Today, he skipped first period, went into one of the restrooms, pulled a gun from his backpack and killed himself with a gunshot blast to his chest. Marcos did not leave a note to explain this suicide.

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

Egypt Lake Elementary School, Tampa, Florida

Monday, September 27, 1999

Lauren Klingensmith, a 10-year-old fifth-grader, was walking to school for her early shift on safety patrol duty when she was shot in the head by a .22-calibur gun by a drive-by shooter. She left a trail of blood 300 feet as she continued on to the school. She escaped blindness by a finger's width and the bullet is still in her brain.

Tri-Cities High School, East Point, Georgia

Wednesday, September 29, 1999

As lunchtime came to close today a fight between two male students broke out in the gym's lobby. School police officer Carnel Cook responded and took one of the boys to the assistant principal's office. While in the office, pepper spray was accidentally discharged into the air. (It is unclear who actually did the spraying or exactly how it happened, just that it did happen.) Carnel, 44, moved the disruptive boy to his own office, which is over by the cafeteria. After getting the boy to his office, Carnel collapsed and died. The boy was arrested and charged with obstruction and involuntary manslaughter. (It is also unclear what caused Carnel's death, they could be injuries sustained breaking up the fight, heart attack, stroke, allergic reaction to the pepper spray or something else.)

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

John Bartram High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Monday, October 4, 1999

While trying to take a gun away from a 17-year-old male student, Vice Principal William Burke was shot in the thigh. William, 61, was hospitalized but not badly hurt.

Parlier High School, Parlier, California

Wednesday, October 6, 1999

Possibly motivated by revenge, 18-year-old Salomon Hernandez drove his pickup up on a sidewalk and killed 17-year-old Martin Levya who had argued with him earlier today. Salomon's erratic driving skills also wounded two other students. Martin is survived by a 6-month-old daughter who was not at the scene.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; National School Safety and Security Services web site

Clark High School, Las Vegas, Nevada

Monday, October 11, 1999

Antonio Arroyo, 17, and 16-year-old Cesar Berber, were wounded with gunshot wounds to their arms today as they stood at the northeast corner of their campus at 2:40 p.m. by 18-year-old Maynor Villanueva. There was a small crowd of about 50 students when Maynor walked up to the group and fired six shots from his .357 Magnum handgun. Maynor and his friend, 15-year-old Tony Tejada, stole a bicycle from a 10-year-old at knife-point in order to flee the scene. One possible reason for this shooting is that Maynor was upset at having been expelled from the school. On Monday, August 7, 2000, Tony was sentenced a 4-30 year prison term. Maynor is serving a life term.

Deady Middle School, Houston, Texas

Wednesday, October 20, 1999

On Monday, October 18, 1999, Principal Pablo Rios was conducting an after school meeting with several teachers in the library. During the meeting, a male student began throwing rocks at the library's windows. A couple of teachers quickly left the library and caught the boy, 14-year-old Estanilao Balderas. Principal Rios gave a stern lecture to Estanilao and sent him home. Two days later, he was in more trouble. About 8:30 this morning, Estanilao and 13-year-old Samuel Avila began fighting in the school's second story hallway. Their classmates gathered to watch the fight and cheered them on. The fight climaxed when Estanilao brandished a 4-inch long screwdriver and jammed it into the left side of Samuel's head. A teacher apprehend Estanilao as the crowd broke up. The screwdriver was decorated with blue lettering that read, "13 Crips for Life." Houston police officers assigned to the school arrived moments later to take custody of Estanilao and had Samuel transported to Ben Taub Hospital. Doctors worked on the boy all day, but he died just after 4 p.m. Estanilao was initially charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, but on Monday, December 13, 1999, State District Judge Mary Craft ruled that Estanilao could be tried as an adult and charged with murder. Estanilao ended up pleading guilty to criminally negligent homicide, a lesser charge, and was sentenced in 2001 to five years in prison.

Source: Houston Chronicle - Boy, 13, Dies After School Stabbing; Houston Chronicle - Teachers Say Gang Problem Was Rife Before Stabbing; Houston Chronicle - Boy, 14, Certified as Adult for Trial; The Associated Press - Judge Dismisses Suite Prompted by Houston School Stabbing Death

San Fernando High School, Pacoima, California

Thursday, October 21, 1999

San Fernando High School has a child care center on campus. Today, a 17-year-old student was shot and wounded outside of the center.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Central High School, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

Friday, October 22, 1999

Kareem McIntosh, 19, was trespassing at Central High School today. For an undisclosed reason, an unnamed 17-year-old male stabbed Kareem in the chest. Kareem died from this wound.

Source: The Virgin Islands Daily News - Shooting Death at School Traumatizes Community (published 6-2-04)

Guyan Valley High School, Branchland, West Virginia

Tuesday, October 26, 1999

Donald Gene Payton believed that Clyde Jack Frye was having an affair with his wife. Donald, 66, drove school buses for Lincoln County until he retired and Clyde is a custodian at GVHS. Early this morning, Donald went to Guyan Valley High School where he shot and killed the 57-year-old Clyde just outside the school. He then drove almost 10 miles away from the school and committed suicide. The school superintendent cancelled classes for the day.

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

Martin Luther King High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, October 26, 1999

The second act of violence at a school occurred when 16-year-old Donald McNeil was shot and killed outside Martin Luther King High School today.

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

Bryan High School, Omaha, Nebraska

Tuesday, October 26, 1999

School violence popped up again, a near-record four times in one day, at Bryan High School in Omaha this time. During a fight between two boys in the cafeteria, 17-year-old Jonathan Leggitt was knocked to the floor. He collapsed and hit his head on the tile and unforgiving concrete below. The injury proved fatal as Jonathan died from massive head trauma. His opponent was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.

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

A High School in Meissen, Germany

November 1999

After taking bets from his classmates that he would dare to commit the crime, a 15-year-old boy stabbed his 44-year-old teacher to death. The betting pot had reached $500. His reward was seven years in jail.

Dorchester High School, Boston, Massachusetts

Wednesday, November 3, 1999

Two males were fighting outside Dorchester High School today. Their fight lead to the shooting of a 17-year-old student. The student was wounded in this violent act of school violence.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Yeshiva Kavunas Halev Private (High) School, New York City, New York

Sunday, November 14, 1999

The 14-year-old son of a Jewish rabbi went into the school's basement bathroom this morning and hanged himself with cord tied to a hook in the ceiling. No one noticed that the boy was missing until a school official found him just after 5 p.m. The boy did not leave a note, just lots of questions. A yeshiva is an academy for the advanced studies of Jewish text. The private school teaches grades 9, 10 and 11 and is in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

Source: New York Post - Yeshiva Kid Found Hanged

Franklin K. Lane High School, New York City, New York

Tuesday, November 16, 1999

Security guard Orville Williams, 25, heard about a disturbance that was taking place in the school yard this afternoon. As he rushed from his post to the scene, he collapsed from a heart attack. He was taken to Jamaica Hospital and pronounced dead around 2 p.m. He had worked at the Brooklyn school for two years and was one of 16 safety officers who work at the school.

Source: The New York Times - Security Guard Dies During School Incident

German Gerena Community (Elementary) School, Springfield, Massachusetts

Wednesday, November 17, 1999

A 10-year-old fifth-grader refused to get on the bus this afternoon and got out of control. He hit, kicked and spit upon 32-year-old classroom aide Maribel Gonzalez while she was trying to subdue the boy. Maribel, who has asthma, was kicked in the chest, rushed to the hospital and died two hours later.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; National School Safety and Security Services web site

Dickinson High School, Dickinson, Texas

Wednesday, November 17, 1999

An unnamed 16-year-old boy purchased a .22-caliber Beretta handgun a few days ago in Bacliff for $100. He let an unnamed 14-year-old friend take it home Tuesday and the friend, also male, brought it to school with him today. The two boys, along with 15-year-old Gelacio Torres-Castillo, met in one of the school's restrooms around 7 a.m. this morning to look at the gun. As the youngest boy was trying to remove the clip, the gun went off. The slug entered Gelacio's nose and lodged itself near his upper spine. In a panic, the young shooter fled the restroom, but he quickly returned. He stuffed the gun into his pants and helped take his friend to the nurse's office. The two boys then returned to the restroom and decided to get rid of the gun. Gelacio, a ninth-grader, was transported to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston where doctors said he wouldn't be paralyzed. The other two boys left campus and went to a nearby apartment complex where they threw the gun away. They returned to school and the young shooter was easily picked out by the blood on his pants. He told police the 16-year-old boy actually owned the gun and so the police picked up the older boy. At 10:30 a.m., he led police to the apartment complex where they found the gun. The young shooter and his older friend were taken into custody. They were charged with deadly conduct and unlawfully carrying a weapon on a school campus.

Source: Houston Chronicle - Dickinson Teen Shot in Restroom at School; Houston Chronicle - Police in Dickinson Continue Probe Into Shooting at School

North High School, Denver, Colorado

Thursday, November 18, 1999

In a failed suicide attempt, a 15-year-old male student shot himself outside the school. He then went inside to a classroom on the third floor, bleeding and seeking help.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Deming Middle School, Deming, New Mexico

Friday, November 19, 1999

Twelve-year-old Victor Cordova Jr. from Palomas, Mexico, fires one shot from his .22-caliber handgun in the school lobby, striking 13-year-old Araceli Tena, in the back of the head. Araceli dies two days later in El Paso, Texas. Victor is sentenced in December 2000 to at least two years in juvenile prison, but he could be held until he is 21. On Tuesday, December 23, 2003, Victor is released from prison into the custody of his uncle.

Juniper Intermediate School, Palmdale, California

Friday, November 19, 1999

In the schoolyard, two eighth-grade boys started a fist fight just before 2 p.m. Earlier in class a verbal argument began over a spitball. The unnamed 14-year-old knocked down 13-year-old Stephan Corson. Stephan hit his head on the concrete sidewalk and went into convulsions. He was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital and died at 3 p.m.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; National School Safety and Security Services web site

Murphey Middle School, Augusta, Georgia

Monday, November 22, 1999

For an undisclosed reason, 14-year-old David Drayton attacked his special education teacher today, Linda Gail Hendrick, 51. He stabbed her 70 times with a pair of scissors in a bathroom attached to the classroom. Linda was taken to the hospital and went into a coma with lingering "traumatic brain injury." In a Richmond County Juvenile court in December 1999, David admitted attacking Linda but did not offer a reason. On December 15, 1999, David was convicted of aggravated assault and received a five-year sentence. The court reserved the right to upgrade the charge to murder (as an adult) and move the proceedings to the Georgia Superior Court if Linda dies. Linda remained in the coma until she died on May 31, 2007. On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, David pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced by Richmond County Superior Court Judge Sheryl Jolly to 20 years in prison.

Source: Savannah Morning News - Teacher Dies From Stabbing 8 Years Ago (published 6/2/07); Augusta Chronicle - Former Pupil Gets 20 Years After Teacher's Fatal Stabbing

Fort Gibson Middle School, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma

Monday, December 6, 1999

Twelve-year-old Savana Knowles and three boys were wounded when 13-year-old Seth Trickey opened fire with a .9mm semiautomatic Taurus pistol. One of the .9mm slugs entered near Savana's right ear, however the bullet exited without hitting any vital organs. Billy Railey, 13, was shot in his right leg. Cody Chronister, 13, and Brad Schindel were also shot and wounded. One other student was slightly bruised. Seth, who turned 18 near the beginning of December 2004, spent almost three years in Oklahoma's Office of Juvenile Affairs before being released in 2003 to his maternal grandparents in Lawrence, Kansas. Seth graduated early from high school and is taking college classes. He has a job and volunteers at a local American Indian resource center. When he turns 19, he will be free.

Source: Dallas Morning News - Answers Sought in '99 Shooting (published 12-6-04)

De Leijgraaf High School, Veghel, Netherlands

Tuesday, December 7, 1999

A feud between two Turkish families drove 17-year-old Ali D. to open fire at a school in Holland, the first for this European country. The shooter from Turkey began the rampage at 1:00 p.m. local time, in a hall in the school and he shot inside a computer classroom. He fired his gun at least ten times. Three students and a 46-year-old female teacher were wounded in the attack, two of the critically. In a bizarre turn of events, the shooter's father drove his son to school, waited outside in the family's Mercedes sedan while the shooting took place, then took his son to the police station where he surrendered. Under strict Dutch law, no names were released. One of the critically wounded students, 19, was shot four times, twice in the stomach and twice in the legs. He was also romantically involved with the shooter's 15-year-old sister. The shooter's family was upset over the relationship. The other two students who were wounded were in stable condition.

A High School in Cologne, Germany

Tuesday, December 21, 1999

A 15-year-old male student storms into his classroom wearing a mask. He unloads a gas gun directly into the face of his teacher. He flees the scene of the shooting, but is caught later on.

Cedar Park Middle School, Cedar Park, Texas

Wednesday, January 5, 2000

School violence returned with the students as they came back from the holiday break this week. A sixth-grader, who was 12, hanged herself in one of the school's restrooms.

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

Bartlett High School, Anchorage, Alaska

Monday, January 10, 2000

This afternoon two boys began arguing inside Bartlett High. The war of words moved outside on to the school's rear parking lot where one of the boys, 16, pulled out a handgun and fired two shots at his opponent. One of the bullets struck a gym window and shattered it. The other shot missed his opponent as well. The shooter then fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. On Wednesday, January 12, he was charged with misconduct involving a weapon, assault and criminal mischief, all felonies, as well as reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor.

Source: Anchorage Daily News - Fight Leads to Gunshots at School; Anchorage Daily News - Teen Faces Felonies in School Shooting

Albuquerque High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Thursday, January 13, 2000

During lunch today, four teenagers ranging in age from 15 to 18, opened fire on their classmates in the school's parking lot. Surprisingly, no one was injured in rain of bullets. The foursome fled the scene but were picked up near West Mesa High School. The four teenage gunmen are Nathan Baumberger, David Bonilla, Raymond Jaramillo and Adam Martinez

Source: Albuquerque Journal - Suspects Identified in School Shooting

Ridgewood High School, New Port Richey, Florida

Wednesday, January 19, 2000

17-year-old Steven Moschella killed his best friend Teddy Niziol, 16, in the school's parking lot when the loaded .22-caliber pistol he was holding discharged. Teddy had handed the pistol to Steven as the left the parking lot. The pistol had been stolen in a rash of burglaries in St. Pete Beach.

Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey

Wednesday, January 19, 2000

At 4:30 this morning, long-time childhood friends Joseph T. LePore and Sean Ryan, both 19, ignited a poster that had been torn down and placed on a couch made of highly flammable foam in a third floor lounge of Boland Hall. With smoke rolling down the halls, scared students in pajamas got their coats, or pulled the blankets from their beds, and fled into the bitter cold winter morning. One student even jumped from his third floor window. The fire killed freshmen Frank Caltabilota of West Long Branch, John Giunta of Vineland and Aaron Karol of Green Brook. Fifty-eight other classmates were injured. Boland Hall didn't have sprinklers because it was built before building codes required it to have them. Joseph and Sean were charged with murder and arson on Thursday, June 12, 2003. Also charged were Joseph's parents, (Joseph E., 58, and Maria, 55) and 24-year-old sister, Lauren, for obstructing justice, hindering apprehension and conspiracy. Santino Cataldo, 21 and a Seton Hall student, was also charged with with witness tampering, obstruction and conspiracy for allegedly lying to investigators. On Wednesday, November 15, 2006, just before their murder trial was about to start, Joseph and Sean struck a deal with the prosecutors. The two boys, now young men, would admit to starting the fire and and serve five years in prison. If they had gone to trial, they could have received 30 years in prison. On Friday, January 26, 2007, Joseph and Sean were sentenced to five years in prison. Because of their plea deal, the charges against Joseph's parents, sister and friend were all dropped by the prosecutors.

THOSE WHO DIED:

Frank Caltabilota, 18

John Giunta, 18

Aaron Karol, 18

Source: Gwinnett Daily Post - Two Students Charged in Deadly Dorm Fire; Press of Atlantic City - 2 Men Held in Fire at Dorm; Northwest Arkansas News - Two Admit Arson in 2000 Dorm Fire; Yahoo! News - 2 Get 5 Years for Fatal Seton Hall Fire

Erwin High School, Asheville, North Carolina

Thursday, January 20, 2000

Tonight the boys' varsity basketball team was practicing in their gym when a bullet from a high-powered rifle shot through the building. The bullet struck the gym wall and no one was injured. Police arrested a total of four teens in this shooting. Police identified the shooter as Erwin dropout 18-year-old Dustin Paul Morris. He is charged for firing into an occupied dwelling, conspiracy and making bomb threats. He turned himself into police on Monday, January 24, 2000.

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times - Search Continues in Erwin Shooting; Asheville Citizen-Times - Erwin School Shooting Suspect Remains at Large; Asheville Citizen-Times - Shooting Suspect in Custody; Fourth Teen Sought in Erwin Incident Turns Himself In

Alicia Reyes Elementary School, Merced, California

Wednesday, January 26, 2000

After being harassed and giving him dirty looks, a 13-year-old male student had had enough. For an undisclosed reason, the youngster was in the parking lot of Alicia Reyes Elementary School this morning at 8:34 when his nemesis, a 17-year-old male, pulled up in a car. Neither of the two boys attended classes the this school. Classes at the school had been in session for about 30 minutes when the young instigator took 10 to 15 steps toward the car, pulled out a .22-caliber revolver and fired two shots. The car was moving away from the boy at the time and he only hit the hood. The young shooter then ran away from the area. Around 3:45 Detective John Fister saw the young shooter walking in the 1100 block of East Childs Avenue and arrested him.

Source: Fresno Bee - Dirty Looks Apparently Spark Shooting at Merced School, 13-Year-Old Boy Shot Twice at an Older Teen and Missed

South High School, Omaha, Nebraska

Wednesday, January 26, 2000

When classes let out this afternoon, students gathered at the front of their school for the buses to arrive to take them home. During this time, a young man exited an alley across the street from the school, crouched behind a car and fired once upon the students. He was aiming for a 17-year-old boy that had been arguing with him earlier in the day. However, the bullet grazed 16-year-old Viiridiana Sanchez, a sophomore. She was treated and released from St. Joseph Hospital. Police arrested the intended target on the charge of suspicion of begin an accessory to a felony in connection with the shooting. The news story didn't say if the shooter was caught.

While waiting in front of their school for their bus, two female students were grazed by gunfire today.

Source: Lincoln Journal Star - Omaha Teen Grazed by Gunfire at School

Penn Wood East Junior High School, Yeadon, Pennsylvania

Thursday, February 10, 2000

Today, a unnamed 13-year-old boy was threatened by an unnamed 14-year-old boy. The younger boy wanted revenge and sought help. He found an accomplice in James Hopkins, 25. The young boy and James met up off campus at 2:15 this afternoon to formulate their plan. They returned to Penn Wood East as classes let out and confronted the older boy. They knocked him to the ground and James pulled out a handgun and fired one shot into the ground just two feet from the boy. Principal Richard Bell and other teachers heard the gunshot and raced to the scene. When they arrived, James pointed the gun at them and pulled the trigger twice, but the gun didn't discharge. Seeing that their plan didn't work out the way they had hoped, James and the young boy fled the school. The older boy was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital where he was treated for bruises. Police were able to apprehend the 13-year-old instigator, but were still searching for James at the time this news story went to press. Police charged the boy with aggravated assault.

Today, a male student got into a fight with another student. When the fight was broken up, he tried to kill his principal and a teacher. The boy pointed his gun at his principal's head twice and pulled the trigger, but the gun failed to discharge a round. In his frustration, he turned the gun on a teacher, but the gun failed again.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer - Man, Still at Large, is Charged with Beating in Delco Schoolyard

Emery Collegiate (High School), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Thursday, February 10, 2000

Around 3:30 this afternoon as students were leaving for the day, five gun shots rang out at Emery Collegiate's parking lot on Finch Avenue and Weston Road in northwest Toronto. Three males were injured in this shooting; two of them were taken to Sunnybrook Hospital and the other to York Finch Hospital. One of the males, 17, had serious injuries to the chest and abdomen. One of the other injured males, 18, was shot in the abdomen only while the last wounded male, Andy Huyn, 17, was treated and released with an injured elbow. Andy is a student at the school, while one of the other male's is a former student and the other is affiliated with the school's continuing education center. Police were looking for two suspects late Thursday evening. By the end of the month, police had charged the unnamed 17-year-old with attempted murder and illegal discharge of a firearm, accepted the surrender of Leslie Francisco Prince, 20, and charged him with attempted murder and criminal negligence causing bodily harm. Police also arrested a 15-year-old teen on the charges of attempted murder.

Source: CBC News - Three Teens Shot at Toronto High School; CBC News - Three Shot at Toronto High School; CBC News - Police Unit Moves Into Emery Collegiate; CBC News - Two More Suspects Charged in School Shooting; CBC News - Final Arrest in School Shooting

Duke Ellington Elementary School, Chicago, Illinois

Monday, February 14, 2000

Typically, young students want to show off the valentines they receive from their classmates on Valentine's Day. Today, however, an 11-year-old boy brought a loaded gun to school to show off. While the student was playing with the gun in a restroom, it went off and sent a bullet through a wall into the right buttock of 11-year-old Eric Owens in the classroom on the other side of the wall. Eric was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital Medical Center and released in the evening. Police took the young shooter into custody and charged him with simple battery, aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon on school grounds. The classroom and restroom are in the mobile annex of the school. The shooting happened just before 3:00.

Source: Chicago Tribune - Boy is Shot Through Wall as Gun Goes Off in School - Pupil was Showing Off Nearby, Vallas Says; Chicago Sun-Times - Boy Charged in Shooting of Classmate; Chicago Tribune - He's 'Glad to Be Alive' After School Incident

Phillips Academy (High School), Andover, Massachusetts

Thursday, February 24, 2000

After being disciplined for drinking on the nation's oldest incorporated boarding school, 18-year-old Zachary Tripp resigned as class president several weeks ago. Today, he wrapped a belt around his neck and hanged himself in a stairwell near his room in Draper Hall.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; National School Safety and Security Services web site

A High School in Tecumseh, Oklahoma

Thursday, February 24, 2000

Also today, in the school's parking lot, a 19-year-old male and a 17-year-old male were fighting over a girl. The 19-year-old pulled out a gun and fired at a truck. No injuries were reported in this shooting.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Buell Elementary School, Mount Morris Township, Michigan

Tuesday, February 29, 2000

Around 10 a.m. this leap day, 6-year-old Kayla Rolland becomes one of the youngest US children to be shot and killed at school. Kayla and Dedrick Owens, also 6, had argued the previous day on the playground. Dedrick called out to her this morning, saying, "I don't like you!" "So?" was her answer. He swung around and shot her with a .32-caliber handgun. Kayla died 30 minutes later. Mount Morris Township is near Flint, Michigan.

Source: Reference.com - List of School-Related Attacks

Lester B. Pearson High School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Monday, March 6, 2000

A fight over a girl lead to a 19-year-old male student being shot in the back of the head with a pellet gun. He was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Police searched for a male suspect.

Source: CBC News - Another High School Shooting

Beach High School, Savannah, Georgia

Friday, March 10, 2000

Around 11 p.m., Darrell Ingram, 19, kills Ramone Kimble and Stacy Smalls as the celebration dance for the girl's basketball team for winning the state championship game came to a close. Darrell used a semi-automatic weapon to kill the two girls and wound Lamar Jenkins. Lamar was the only Beach High student involved in the shooting. Darrell was charged with murder and aggravated assault.

THOSE WHO DIED:

Ramone Kimble, 16

Stacy Smalls, 19

THE INJURED:

Lamar Jenkins, 16

Source: The Indianapolis Star - School Violence Around the World

A Boarding (High) School in Rosenheim, Germany

Thursday, March 16, 2000

Yesterday, a 16-year-old boy was sent home after a test showed he had used the drug cannabis. Today, he returned and encountered the school's 57-year-old director in one of the school's stairwells. The boy pulled out a gun and fired several shots into the director, killing him. He then turned the gun on himself and fired several more shots into his own head, committing suicide. Rosenheim is in southeast Bavaria.

Source: Gun Week Archives - High School Violence, Shootings Growing in Germany, France

McKinley Elementary School, Lisbon, Ohio

Thursday, March 23, 2000

This morning at 8:45, a 12-year-old boy stood up in class and pulled out a 9mm semiautomatic handgun. He pointed it at the ceiling and told his fellow students and teacher to get down. Teacher Linda Robb heard the commotion from her classroom across the hall. She went into the room and began talking to the boy. Linda, along with teacher Dan Kemats, whose class the boy had taken control of, were able to talk the boy into surrendering the gun. When the boy handed over the gun, Linda hugged him and held onto him until the police arrived. The next day, the boy was charged with inducing panic, aggravated menacing, carrying a concealed weapon and illegally carrying a firearm in a school zone.

Source: ABC News; USA Today - Boy Charged for Having Gun in Class

Zebulon Middle School, Wake County, North Carolina

Friday, March 24, 2000

Seventh-grader Chris Joyner, 12, excused himself from gym class to use the bathroom. He tied a jump rope around his neck and hanged himself in the boys bathroom.

An Elementary School in Lancaster, South Carolina

Tuesday, April 4, 2000

Having attended a district wide elementary school chorus concert, a 16-year-old high school student was shot in the neck in the school's parking lot upon leaving the concert.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Elementary School Track Meet in Hugo, Oklahoma

Thursday, April 6, 2000

A on-going feud between two women was so drawn out, that their daughters argued with each other as well. Today at an elementary school track meet at the city's Gene Nesbit Stadium with over 500 students and their parents, emotions boiled over into bad decisions. While sitting in the middle section of the stands, just below the press box, 33-year-old Sonya Bostic and Ruthie Pearl continued their feud. Sonya pulled out a .38-caliber derringer and shot at Ruthie, 35, but missed and the bullet struck Virginia Biggers, 33, in the buttocks. Marshall Henderson, a Hugo police officer, was working the track meet when the shot was fired. He rushed into the stands where Sonya still had the derringer aimed at Ruthie. Marshall grabbed the derringer and raised it into the air. The chamber broke open and unfired shell fell out. After a brief scuffle with Sonya, order was restored to the stands. Virginia was transported to a hospital in Paris, Texas, to have the bullet removed. Sonya was charged with four counts of carrying a weapon on school property, one count of possession of a fire arm and one count of shooting with the intent to kill.

Source: Hugo Daily News - Parent Feud Ends in Gunfire; Hugo Daily News - School Event Shooter Held Without Bond

La Cima Middle School, Tucson, Arizona

Monday, April 10, 2000

Teacher Kathleen Morris, 35, reported being shot by a male in his late teens with a shaved head while she sat alone in her classroom 90 minutes before school started. Police investigate and discovered she shot herself in the shoulder with a .38-caliber gun to highlight the lack of security at La Cima. The school is located near Tucson, Arizona.

Prairie View A & M University, Prairie View, Texas

Tuesday, April 18, 2000

Around 1 p.m., Gary Wayne Burroughs, who doesn't attend the university, and Kristen Taylor, 22, a senior architect major, were arguing in one of the parking lots. Gary pulled out a handgun and shot Kristen in the leg, then in the head. He then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide.

Cairine Wilson Secondary (High) School, Orleans, Ontario, Canada

Thursday, April 20, 2000

At 11:25 a.m. (EDT), 5 minutes before the students and faculty of Columbine started their closed-to-public1-year memorial service in their gym, a 15-year-old male student and his friend were arguing on the second floor of their school. The 15-year-old brandished a small kitchen knife and cried out "I'm sick enough to kill." His friend ran down the hall with the instigator close behind. Outside his school's library, the instigator caught up to his friend and began stabbing him in the back. The instigator, in a rage, turned to a witness and threatened to kill him if he didn't leave. Two other male students tried to stop the attacker, but they were unable to do so. The instigator turned the corner in the hallway and saw another male student playing cards. He slashed the boy in the head and on the back before moving on to cause more mayhem. From there, the instigator fled to the school's computer room where a 16-year-old, eleventh grade female student was working on an assignment. He lunged at her and cut her forehead. The boy then stabbed another male student in the arm before turning on the female instructor, puncturing her back with the knife. This was the instructors first day on the job. He then picked up a monitor and threw it through a window. Rebecca Greenwood, a 16-year-old student, helped the second stabbing male student downstairs to the office for aid. Principal Mike Jordan raced upstairs to defuse the situation. Mike managed to get into the computer room and calm the boy down. Mike talked the boy into giving up the knife. No names were released, and all of the stabs were to the back, arms and the head of the victims, (three male students, one female student and one female secretary) all of which survived. The instigator was described as a loner with few friends, a "loser" with greasy hair and acne problems, and the frequent butt of jokes and teasing.

Source: Ottawa Citizen - Student Stabs Five in Rampage: School Principal Hailed as a Hero for Negotiating Attacker's Surrender at Orleans Secondary School

Marion Military Institute (High School), Marion, Alabama

Friday, April 21, 2000

Joel Deal Pickette was a very good senior cadet student who was active in extracurricular activities and on both the Commander's List and the Dean's List. This Good Friday morning, he hanged himself in his dorm room.

Source: National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths; National School Safety and Security Services web site

New Philadelphia High School, New Philadelphia, Ohio

Thursday, April 27, 2000

As teachers were leaving the high school today, a 16-year-old fired at them with a pellet gun. The 16-year-old's aim was off and nobody was injured.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

A High School in Denver, Colorado

Thursday, May 4, 2000

In a failed suicide attempt, a 16-year-old boy used a handgun to shoot himself in the abdomen while sitting in his car in the school's parking lot.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

A High School in Canoga Park, California

Thursday, May 4, 2000

This evening, two students were playing on the school's handball court when they were wounded by gunfire. The police suspected the shooting to be race-related. The injured students were 19 and 20-years-old.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Herbert Hoover High School, Glendale, California

Friday, May 5, 2000

This afternoon 17-year-old Raul Aguirre and an unnamed Latino boy were sitting in front of their school when the Latino boy flashed gang signs at a trio in a car. The trio, driver Anait Ano Msryan, 14 and female, Karen Terteryan, 17 and male, and Rafael Gevorgyan, 15, drove up and began a fight with the unnamed Latino boy, who was waiting for the bus. Karen and Rafael, both members of the Armenian American street gang, pulled out a knife and tried to stab the Latino boy when Raul intervened. An exchange of words quickly escalated to an exchange of fists and then an all out brawl. It moved across the street to Toll Middle School where Raul was hit in the head with a crowbar wielded by Rafael. Karen stabbed Raul with a pocket knife four times in the back, chest and abdomen. Raul was transported to County/USC Medical Center where he died, three hours after the attack, at 6:42 p.m. Anait then tried to help one of the boys escape, but apparently didn't too good of a job as police arrested Karen later in the day. Because California voters approved of Proposition 21 in March of 2000, police were able to charge the trio as adults with first-degree murder (of Raul), attempted murder (of the Latino boy) and street terrorism. The trio was charged on Tuesday, May 9, 2000. Proposition 21 allows any juvenile age 14 and up to be tried as an adult for murder or certain sex offenses. Hover High School has a diverse population of students who speak 66 different languages. This is the second fight at the school that led to a death, the first was in September 1998.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Teen Fatally Stabbed at School; Los Angeles Times - 3 Juveniles Charged as Adults in Teen's Slaying

Carmichael Elementary School, Sierra Vista, Arizona

Wednesday, May 10, 2000

This afternoon, Glen Quatacker went to visit his estranged wife, Tammy, at her work. They began to argue in a classroom at a Head Start building adjacent to Carmichael Elementary. During the course of the argument, they moved into a classroom in Carmichael Elementary. At this point, Glen pulls out a gun and shots Tammy to death. He then commits suicide.

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

Prairie Grove Junior High School, Prairie Grove, Arkansas

Thursday, May 11, 2000

After losing an argument at school, twelve-year-old seventh grader Michael Nichols went home and got his 20-guage shotgun before heading back to the school. He was intercepted by Sgt. Greg Lovett, a city officer assigned to school district, in a hayfield just north of the school. Sgt. Lovett was shot four times (in the face, back and chest) before returning fire and striking Michael once in the abdomen by his .40 caliber police-issued Smith and Wesson. Michael was taken to a hospital for surgery, but Lovett did not require surgery.

A Daycare Center in Hjelmeland, Norway

Monday, May 15, 2000

A 40-year-old man wielding a shotgun seized 25 children and 10 adults in a kindergarten daycare center in western Norway, about 190 miles west of Oslo. He called police shortly before midday to say he was holding them captive and threatened to kill the children. He released all but five children and two adults within two hours of taking them hostage. Unconfirmed reports said the man's target was a woman in the daycare center and that he was a father of one of the children. After 11 hours, the man released all his hostages, emptied the shells from his gun and surrendered to police in Stavanger. The man said he was angry for being denied access to his sons after losing a custody battle to his ex-partner. Neither of his teenage sons attended the kindergarten. The woman he targeted was a witness in a rape charge brought on by his ex-partner.

Lake Worth Community Middle School, Lake Worth, Florida

Friday, May 26, 2000

On the last day of classes for the 1999-2000 school year, 13-year-old Nathaniel Brazill was sent home early for being disruptive and throwing water balloons. He returned to his school around 3:30 p.m. with a .25-caliber Raven semi-automatic handgun and shot Barry Grunow, in the face, killing him. Nathaniel was in the hallway asking Mr. Grunow if he could talk to two girls in his class, when Mr. Grunow refused, Nathaniel pulled out his Raven and shot him. Barry Grunow was a dedicated teacher loved by the community, 35-years-old, married to Pam and had two young children. Nathaniel fled and surrendered to police about a quarter mile away from the school. Lake Worth is just south of West Palm Beach and the school has a student body of over 1500. Nathaniel was convicted of second degree murder and aggravated assault on May 16, 2001. He was sentenced to 28 years in prison with no possibility of parole or time off for good behavior.

A Day-care Center in Wasserbilig, Luxembourg

Wednesday, May 31, 2000

Around 3:30 p.m. (GMT) an unidentified 40-year-old man armed with a pistol, a grenade and a knife took 49 children, ranging in age between 4 and 7, and 5 adult workers hostage in this tiny village on the Luxembourg-German border. He later freed 16 of the youngsters. The man is married and has two children, ages 7 and 11, who once attended the day-care center. He released 8 more children around 8:00 p.m. (GMT). The next morning, around 8:30 a.m. (GMT), he released two more children. After 28 hours of taking the day-care hostage, the man came out with a child and an adult worker to talk to a news team. The news team was actually policemen in disguised. The man was wounded by a police sniper and taken into custody. None of the children were injured.

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Wednesday, June 28, 2000

Jian Chen, a 42-year-old second-year pathology resident was distraught over being terminated from one of the nation's most renowned and demanding pathology programs. He had previously succeed in pathology at colleges in his native China as well as in New York, Iowa, Texas and Mississippi. His work here, that would have been superior at the other colleges, was rated as sub-par. Around 3:45 this afternoon he walked into his mentor's office in the UW Medical Center, Pathology Professor Rodger Haggitt. He locked the door when he entered and the conversation soon became a shouting match. The argument ended when Jian pulled out a .357 Glock semi-automatic pistol and shot Rodger, 57, four times, killing him. Jian then killed himself.

Source: Columns Magazine - Fatal Choices

Dimmitt Middle School, Renton, Washington

Monday, July 17, 2000

During summer school today 13-year-old, seventh-grader Josh Warnock jumped atop a cafeteria table with a .22-caliber handgun. Brittany Lamb, 14, was sitting at that table when he stood up and fired one shot into the ceiling. She said she was too scared to move, and he threatened her directly. ``He put the gun right up to my face and he said, 'I'm going to kill you if you don't get up on the stage.' I was frozen. I could not move at all,'' Brittany said. Instead, the students fled the cafeteria and Josh fled the school. He turned himself in the next day from his grandparents' house. Just before the shooting, Cylas Sampson, 13, said he had called the boy over to sit with them. ``He said, 'You don't have to worry about school anymore. Today's your last day of school,''' he said.

Source: The Indianapolis Star - School Violence Around the World

Valley View Elementary School, Glendale, California

Sunday, July 23, 2000

The bludgeoned bodies of 14-year-old Blaine Steven Talmo, Jr. and 13-year-old Christopher McColloch were found today on the playground of Valley View Elementary School. Michael Demirdjian, 16, was arrested and charged with murder, torture and robbery of Blaine and Christopher.

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

Timken Senior High School, Canton, Ohio

Wednesday, July 26, 2000

Marcus Green and Stanley Jones's three year feud ended today. Stanley, 17, was waiting for a friend to finish band practice when Marcus came up and shot him to death in the school's west parking lot.

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

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