School Violence 2000-2001

Violence in Our Schools

August 1, 2000 through July 31, 2001

School Violence Around the World Date Stats It's Not Always About the Gun School Violence Links 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.

A High School in the Greater Buenos Aires area, Argentina

Friday, August 4, 2000

Being fed up with insults and nicknames, like "Pantriste" after a lanky, sad-looking cartoon character, a student shot and killed a 16-year-old classmate. He also wounded another student during the shooting. The Argentina court system acquitted him of his crime.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald - School Rampage Grips Nation

A Junior High School in Bartow, Florida

Tuesday, August 15, 2000

Using a box cutter, a ninth grad male student, 15, slashed twice across the head of a classmate, 14 with a box cutter. Doctors used 71 stitches to close the wound.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Monday, August 28, 2000

The US 2000-2001 school year began with gunfire exploding in a school. Ten-year graduate student James Easton Kelly, 37, was seeking a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. A six-member committee that oversees the doctoral program dismissed him on August 21 because of poor attendance and enrolling, and then withdrawing from, required courses. James requested a meeting with his faculty adviser English professor Dr. John Locke, 67. He brought a .38-caliber pistol and almost 100 rounds to the meeting with Dr. Locke. During the noontime meeting at Kimpel Hall, which witnesses reported hearing a heated argument between the two, James pulled out the pistol and fired three times. He killed Dr. Locke with shots to the face and chest. UAPD quickly arrived on site and found the office door locked. James told them "Don't come in," and "I'm hurt." James then committed suicide with a fourth shot to his chest, which shattered his aorta and punctured his spinal cord. Monday was the first day of the fall semester at the University of Arkansas.

Bidwell Porter Elementary School, Bidwell, Ohio

Tuesday, September 5, 2000

Before students arrived at school today, Linda Shoemaker and her estranged husband were fighting in the school's parking lot. He draws a gun and kills the 52-year-old cafeteria worker while she was still in her car. He then went home and committed suicide.

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

An Elementary School in Lowell, Indiana

Thursday, September 7, 2000

A county police officer with 16 years of experience committed suicide today with a shot to the head outside an elementary school in Lowell, Indiana.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Vigor High School, Prichard, Alabama

Wednesday, September 13, 2000

After fighting with another student yesterday, 16-year-old Brian Keith Jackson brandished a handgun this morning and fired one shot in the school's parking lot. No one was injured in this shooting. In May, 2001, Brian was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

A Junior High in Mount Healthy, Ohio

Monday, September 18, 2000

After firing a round into the ceiling of one of the classrooms, a 14-year-old eighth grader was persuaded to surrender the gun.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Carter G. Woodson Middle School, New Orleans, Louisiana

Tuesday, September 26, 2000

At lunchtime on a Tuesday, in a breezeway between the main building and the cafeteria, 13-year-old Darrell Johnson and 15-year-old William Pennington's morning-long argument had reached its climax. Alfred Anderson, 13, an expelled student from the school, passed a Colt .38-caliber revolver to Darrell through a chain link fence. Darrell quickly shot William in the chest. Darrell then turned to flee, but William was able to catch up to him and wrestle the gun from his hand. William then shot Darrell in the back. Alfred was arrested and charged as a juvenile with attempted first-degree murder and illegally carrying a weapon the following day. William lost a kidney and his spleen and underwent five surgeries. Darrell was in a wheelchair for months while he recovered from his wounds. Alfred and Darrell were found guilty of attempted second-degree murder and possessing a firearm in a school zone on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 by Juvenile Court Judge C. Hearn Taylor.

Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, September 28, 2000

The D.C. fire department responded to Cogswell Hall tonight on a suicide call. When they arrived, they found 19-year-old Eric Franklin Plunkett beaten to death in room 101 of the dormitory. A week earlier, Eric has been elected secretary of the campus Lambda Society. Police investigated the homicide, (they didn't classify it as a hate-crime) but kept tight-lipped on their findings. The police did arrest a suspect, but released him the next day after questioning due to lack of evidence. Gallaudet is the premier university for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Eric was from Burnsville, Minnesota.

A High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Thursday, October 5, 2000

After being refused entrance to the school's home coming dance, two males (one 17 and the other 22) stood outside debating of what to do next. They were shot and wounded in this random shooting.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

A High School in Charleston, South Carolina

Friday, October 6, 2000

This is one of the few bomb entries that I have. A metal-laced cherry bomb was thrown into a crowd of students by a 16-year-old male student. When the bomb went off, two female students were wounded.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Western Academy Community Education Center (High School), Los Angeles, California

Monday, October 23, 2000

School violence christens this newly opened school for first-time teenage offenders. Early this morning, 20-year-old security guard Reginald Millsaps was gunned down in the parking lot by an unknown assailant.

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

Pioneer Elementary School, Glendale, Arizona

Tuesday, October 24, 2000

It was a cold, wet morning for Sean Wayne Botkin, 14. He trekked through a flash flood ditch, three feet of rushing cold water, to reach Pioneer Elementary School. By the time he arrived at the school, he was wearing a mask and decked out in camouflage armed with a 9mm handgun. He took 30 children and their teacher, Candice Briney, hostage in a portable building at the school this Tuesday morning at 11:10 a.m. The local authorities were called and they arrived post haste. A police sergeant negotiated the release of all the female students, and then later for nearly all of the male students. Just over an hour later, Sean, Candice, Phil Ferguson, Jacob Robinson and another student are still in the room. Sean's only demand was that the helicopters hovering overhead leave, which they did. Sean eventually released Phil, Jacob and the other student, leaving only Candice in the room with him. By 12:30 p.m. Sean ends the hostage situation, by releasing Candice and turning himself over to the local authorities.

Source: A visitor to this website

Bushwick High School, New York City, New York

Tuesday, October 24, 2000

An act of kindness turns into death at this Brooklyn high school today. 18-year-old Joseph Gallo Rodriguez, a tow truck trainee for Quality Automotive Services, was changing a flat tire on a teacher's car when two men approached him, demanding his sterling silver necklace with a crucifix charm be given to them. It was about 5:30 in the evening when the men approached. Joseph refused and he was shot in the neck by special education student Victor Moreno, also 18. The two would-be robbers, now murderers, fled the scene. Joseph was taken to Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center. His condition deteriorated and he died at 4:36 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Source: The New York Times - 18-Year-Old is Fatally Shot While Helping Change Tire; National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths

South Side High School, Memphis, Tennessee

Friday, October 27, 2000

Following the homecoming pep rally where he watched his girlfriend perform, an unnamed 18-year-old alumni was shot and killed just outside the school.

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

Newman Smith High School, Carrollton, Texas

Wednesday, November 1, 2000

A 15-year-old junior was scolded by his geography teacher, Diane Steward, for not being active in a classroom discussion. He returned to his desk, slammed down his pencil and pulled a .9mm Sig Sauer pistol from his backpack. He held 19 of his classmates, and his pregnant teacher, hostage for about 30 minutes. Two minutes into the standoff, as police arrived, the gunman release two students, then all of the female students, leaving the male students and the teacher still with him in the classroom. The boy set off a firecracker, at which point police blew open the locked classroom door and apprehended the gun-wielding teen.

Lincoln High School, New York City, New York

Monday, November 20, 2000

In this Brooklyn high school cafeteria today, a fight broke out between two male students. A 16-year-old boy joked about a 14-year-old boy's football injury. The younger boy didn't take it too well and challenged his older classmate to a fight. The boys left the cafeteria, went into a stairwell and began fighting. The younger boy pulled out a knife and slashed the older boy in the face and in the chest. The wounds were not life threatening.

Source: New York City Comptroller Press Release - Hevesi Calls on Board of Education to Install Cameras in Stairwells to Help Stop Rash of Assaults in Schools

Lester B. Pearson High School, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Monday, November 20, 2000

Around 8:30 this morning, two 17-year-old boys began arguing over $30.00. During the hallway fight one of the boys stabbed his opponent, Samer Jaber, multiple times. Samer died from his wounds. The Mounties apprehended our young instigator just after 10 a.m. and charged him with second degree murder in the evening. Lester B. Pearson must be a well-known Canadian (Canadian's please forgive me for not knowing your history) as this is the second-high school named Lester B. Pearson to have an act of violence occur on its grounds within the same calendar year. Back on March 6 of this year, a student was shot and wounded in Toronto at Lester B. Pearson High School. (See the entry in its proper place for full details.)

Source: The Gazette (University of Western Ontario) - Calgary High School Stabbing Shocking

Granada Hills High School, Los Angeles, California

Friday, December 1, 2000

Kevin Leung, 17, had told his friends several times that he was going to commit suicide, but they never believed him. This morning at 7:00, he drove up to school in his white Toyota MR2 and proved them wrong. He setup a video camera, turned up his radio all the way and shot himself in the head with a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun. He was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m. Several classmates witnessed this suicide and believed he was setting up a video shoot.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Teen Stages Suicide in Front of Classmates

A High School in San Diego, California

Friday, December 1, 2000

Also in California today, at the start of gym class on the volleyball court, a male student, 15, shot himself in the groin by accident. He had shown the weapon to one of his friends earlier in the day saying he was going to shoot another student.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Richmond High School, Richmond, California

Thursday, December 7, 2000

On the 39th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, 16-year-old Lamar Preston was walking back to school after eating lunch off campus. He was shot in the neck from a person in a car. He managed to make back to RHS and ended up in front of the administrative offices. He was rushed to the hospital where he died.

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

A High School in Shiloh, Maryland

Friday, December 8, 2000

The next day, another student commits suicide on campus. A 14-year-old, with a gunshot wound to the head, was found in one of the school's restrooms.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

An Elementary School in Miami, Florida

Tuesday, December 19, 2000

After students had been released for the day, an armored car driver was at one of Miami's elementary school's this evening. The driver was there to make a pickup when two male teenagers robbed him of $300. The robbery went bad and the two teens shot the 32-year-old driver to death.

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

Balboa High School, San Francisco, California

Wednesday, January 3, 2001

Around 9:30 a.m., in a third floor classroom, a 15-year-old male student was shot in the hip by a 16-year-old 10th grader in his Spanish class. The shooter was showing off the .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol when it went off. Police took the stand of this being an accidental shooting. Balboa High School is plagued with low test scores and a high faculty turnover rate, however, it is considered one of the most secure schools in San Francisco. It has 7 full-time security guards and an imposing fence surrounding the school. It does not use metal detectors, nor do the guards search student backpacks. Neither the shooter's nor the victim's name was released.

A Junior High School in Riverside, New Jersey

Friday, January 5, 2001

Using a 9 1/2-inch butcher knife, a 13-year-old male student held his eighth-grade teacher and 21 fellow classmates hostage today. He was disarmed by school officials and arrested.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Hueneme High School, Oxnard, California

Wednesday, January 10, 2001

The second violent attack of the new millennium came one week later in a suburb of Los Angeles. On a rainy day on the west coast, 17-year-old Lorena Gonzalez returned to her school after eating lunch off campus with her cousin. Richard Lopez was also returning after being ordered off the campus by the assistant principal. Richard, 17, fired twice in the parking lot, striking Lorena's cousin's car. He then blocked an entryway and grabbed Lorena by the waist, demanding that she come with him and poked his gun in her side. He held her hostage and dragged her to a quad packed with around 150 students. With one arm choking Lorena he held his gun to her head in the other. Oxnard police officer Joe Tinoco confronted the teen gunman for four minutes while the Oxnard SWAT made its way to the scene. As he held her hostage, Richard told Lorena he belonged to a gang and that he could see a laser beam from an officer's targeting device trained on his head. Richard cocked his gun and the SWAT officer fired once and ended the crisis by killing Richard. Richard did not attend the school.

Lake Clifton Eastern High School, Baltimore, Maryland

Wednesday, January 17, 2001

This morning at 8:45, 17-year-old Juan Matthews was standing by his school's flagpole when two men approached him. Juan started to walk away when three shots were fired from a small caliber pistol into his back. Juan collapsed inside the school and was rushed to Johns Hopkins Hospital. He died at 2:42 in the afternoon. A student from another school and his cousin were detained by police shortly after the morning shooting. Police believe the attack was premeditated. After interviewing the two cousins, Jerome Butler, 17 and 20-year-old Arthur Lee Allen, police release the two men early Thursday morning saying it is unlikely they are responsible for killing Juan. In May 2001, police arrested 19-year-old Gerald A. Lane at Johns Hopkins Hospital, his place of employment (as a housekeeper), for killing Juan. Gerald had had a dispute with Juan and the two grew up near each other. On November 26, 2001, Gerald pleaded guilty to second degree murder of Juan Matthews and handgun crimes. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Source: CNN - Student Dies After Shooting Outside Baltimore High School; Baltimore Sun - Two Sought In Teen's Death, Young Men Released After Being Questioned About School Shooting; Baltimore Sun - Man, 20, Pleads Guilty In Killing of Student, Gets 40-Year Sentence

Bromma Gymnasium (High School). Bromma, Sweden

Thursday, January 18, 2001

In a rare act of school violence in Scandinavia, a 16-year-old student was shot to death in a high school bathroom. Bromma is a suburb of Stockholm. Police rushed to the school after initially being told that a stabbing had taken place at the school. The boy was shot in the throat. The suspect was apprehended five minutes later. No names were released.

Margaret Fuller Elementary School, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Friday, January 19, 2001

Yesterday, one of first grade teacher Carla Reveliotty's students was making noises, sticking his tongue out at her and mimicking much of what she said. She disciplines the boy by having him sit in a chair at the front of the classroom. Later, as she tried to walk by, he tried to kick her. She told the boy that she wouldn't let him kick her and held him in place by holding his hands. The boy may have told his mother, Angela Brinson, a different story for she came to the school today extremely upset. School officials let her take the boy to his classroom, Room 104, where she confronted Carla, a 31-year veteran of the teaching field and 53-years-old, about disciplining her child yesterday. Angela pushed Carla to the floor and as she fell, she hit her head and face on a desk. Carla's cheekbone was fractured and she now has a black eye. However, Angela says that she didn't touch Carla and that Carla fell by herself as she was backing away from her (Angela). This happened at 8:40 this morning in front of a classroom of first graders. For this attack, Angela was given one year of probation and assigned to an anger management class.

Source: The Boston Globe - School Says Parent Attacked Teacher

Boles Junior High School, Arlington, Texas

Monday, January 29, 2001

This morning, Maurice Manuel, a 13-year-old seventh-grader, snuck a handgun into his school by wearing a puffy coat. This afternoon, he excused himself from a meeting between his mother and the assistant principal. The topic of the meeting was his poor grades. He went upstairs to the bathroom and shot himself. Three teachers rushed into the restroom to see what had happened and immediately began CPR. Word of the shooting got back to the assistant principal and he arrived on the scene with Maurice's mother, who is an intensive-care nurse. She offered assistance because of her experience and went into the bathroom to find her son slumped against a wall with a .38-caliber revolver nearby. The gun came from his parents’ bedroom. Maurice was pronounced dead by hospital staff later in the day. This occurred around 4:10 p.m., after school had recessed for the day. Days later, students learned Maurice’s father had been beating him with increasing severity prior to today. Students speculate he was afraid of what would happen to him when he went home. During lunch, he went to every single girl in the west side of the cafeteria and asked them if they would go out with him. They all said no. After Maurice’s suicide, the school banned puffy coats, set up metal detectors and required students to have clear backpacks.

Madison Park High School, Boston, Massachusetts

Thursday, February 1, 2001

Today physical education teacher Richard Nichols tried to keep an agitated 15-year-old male student from leaving the school after the noon gym class. The teen pulled a knife on Richard and lunged at him. However, Richard was able to dodge the strike and wasn't injured. Another gym teacher intervened by saying, "You don't want to do this." The boy put the knife in his pocket and walked away. He didn't get far as school police detained him and charged him with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Source: SouthCoast Today - Teacher Threatened With Knife

Osborn High School, Detroit, Michigan

Friday, February 2, 2001

Violence book ended this winter week, and not just once, but twice. Two students and a teacher were grazed by gunfire in a room of Osborn High that was being used as a band room. Names were not released in this shooting.

North Hopewell-Winterstown Elementary School, Felton, Pennsylvania

Friday, February 2, 2001

The second violent act on school grounds that happened today was about 75 miles west of Philadelphia in Felton. William Michael Stankewicz, 56, wielding a machete and a baseball bat, chased Principal Norina Bentzel through the school's halls. He injured her with slashes on her arm and hand. Kindergarten teacher Linda Collier had to have surgery on her hand from cuts she received. Stacey Bailey, a third grade teacher, was treated and released for her injuries on her left arm. William also injured five kindergarten students, but none seriously. He gained entrance into the normally doors-locked-from-the-outside school by following a parent inside.

THE INJURED:

Stacey Bailey, 33	Norina Bentzel, 41
Linda Collier, 52	Five kindergarten students

Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.

Saturday, February 3, 2001

Four months after the murder of Eric Plunkett, another first-year student is found dead early Saturday morning in the same dormitory, Cogswell Hall, this time on the fourth floor. After a fire alarm in the dormitory goes off, one of the resident advisors was checking the rooms and found San Antonio, Texas, native Benjamin Varner, 19, dead in his room at 4:15 a.m. Police classified Benjamin's death as a homicide "because of the condition of scene," but wouldn't elaborate with details initially. By the beginning of the following week, it was discovered that Benjamin was stabbed repeatedly and his killer may have exited the dormitory through the basement. A knife and bloody clothing were found in trash bin behind the building. Police initially did not have any leads and believe the two murders are not connected. However, by Wednesday of the following week, Joseph M. Mesa, Jr., a 20-year-old student from Guam, admitted in a videotape statement to the murders, stating that robbery was the motive. Joseph was convicted of murder on Tuesday, May 21, 2002.

Pearl C. Anderson Middle School, Dallas, Texas

Wednesday, February 7, 2001

While standing outside in the school's parking lot, a 14-year-old boy asked a group of his classmates if they were ready to die. Vera Brazier, 14, mocked him by saying, "Yes, I want to die." The boy took Vera's arm and said, "Come on." He lead her away from the group and put a small revolver to her chest. Before he fired the gun, Vera was able to push the gun away from her chest and the bullet grazed her left hand. The boy ran off and the police arrested him around noontime.

A Junior High School in Meridian, Mississippi

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Using a straight-edged razor, a 16-year-old student slashed the throat of another student while classes were changing this morning. The student was wounded in this attack.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

A High School in Boston, Massachusetts

Friday, February 16, 2001

A 13-year-old student stabbed a 14-year-old classmate in the back after they argued over orange juice in the cafeteria today. The 13-year-old also cut the back of a 15-year-old classmate. Both students were injured in this attack.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

A High School in Portland, Oregon

Friday, February 23, 2001

Three people are wounded at the school's cafeteria as a 14-year-old student brings a knife to the school and begins stabbing people at random.

A High School in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee

Friday, February 23, 2001

Also today, two female students were fighting at their school in Tennessee when one, age 15, stabbed the other.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Madison, Wisconsin

Friday, February 23, 2001

School violence continued into the night when an English teacher was grabbed by an unidentified male. He threatened the teacher with a gun, but fled when students began to confront him.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California

Saturday, February 24, 2001

Last night, the son of TV director Daniel Attias, 18-year-old David Edward Attias, burst into the room of a female student and said, "God is speaking to me. Life is a game, and you only make it if you're beautiful and rich... I'm a virgin, and I need to have sex right now." The report doesn't state whether or not David was deflowered, but I'm pretty sure the girl didn't say okay to his request. Today David got into his black Saab and headed straight for a group of students. He plowed into his classmates and eventually came to a stop after killing four students, injuring one and wrecking nine cars. He paced about the new crime scene shouting, "I am the Angel of Death!" while swinging at people. One witness reported that David was bouncing around like a boxer, that he may have been on a drug-induced high. Killed at the scene were Nicholas Bourdakis, a sophomore at the university; Ruth Levy, a student at Santa Barbara City College; Elie Israel, roommate of Ruth's brother who was visiting and Christopher Divis from San Diego County.

THOSE WHO DIED:

Nicholas Shaw Bourdakis, 20	Christopher Edward Divis, 20
Elie Israel, 27	Ruth Dasha Golda Levy, 20

Source: www.mayhem.net - David Edward Attias

Jefferson High School, Tampa, Florida

Tuesday, February 27, 2001

A small bomb made of household chemicals exploded in the commons area of the Jefferson High just before 10:00 a.m. No one was injured in the blast and students returned to class by lunchtime. The bomb consisted of an acid substance and aluminum foil. Police arrested three 15-year-olds in connection with the bombing. Sylvia Griffin, Julio Rivera and Renso Aguavivas were transported by authorities to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

A High School in El Paso, Texas

Thursday, March 1, 2001

A food fight in the school's cafeteria grew from a couple to over 400 rioting students today. The police arrested 13 students and no serious injuries were reported.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Hoover High School, San Diego, California

Friday, March 2, 2001

Following a meeting with a school counselor, an 18-year-old male student went to the school's parking lot and committed suicide with a shot to his head. This suicide was attributed to a breakup with his girlfriend.

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

Santana High School, Santee, California

Monday, March 5, 2001

After telling friends all weekend long he was going to shoot up the school, 15-year-old Charles Andrew Williams carried out his threat on Monday. He opened fire with a .22-caliber Arminius long-barrel revolver as he walked out of a boys bathroom at his high school. His friends didn't believe he would actually start shooting, but the young teen had been bullied too far and took his revenge on his classmates at 9:25 a.m. in the school's social sciences building. He fired the revolver at random, emptying it, then returning to the bathroom to reload. At one point, he was smiling as he came out of the bathroom and began shooting again. He reloaded at least four times, according to police. Charles killed two classmates and wounded 13 others, including a campus supervisor. Police charged into the bathroom and found Charles kneeling on the floor holding the loaded revolver. They ordered him to drop the gun and lie down, which he did, thus ending the worst school shooting since the Columbine massacre. Charles plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder on Thursday, June 20, 2002. He was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison on Thursday, August 15, 2002.

THOSE WHO DIED:

Randy Gordon, 17

Brian Zuckor, 14

THE INJURED:

Heather Cruz	Trevor Edwards, 16
Tim Estes, 33, student teacher	Barry Gibson, 18
Matthew Heier	James Jackson, 19
Karla Leyva, 16	Scott Marshall, 16
Melissa McNulty, 15	Peter Ruiz, 22, campus supervisor
Triston Salladay	Raymond Serrato, 17
Travis Tate-Gallegos, 18

Santana Link 6 Minutes of Terror

An Elementary School in Tanbu, Jiangxi, China

Tuesday, March 6, 2001

Students making fireworks in their classroom were engulfed in an explosion that collapsed the two story school, killing 41 people and injuring 27. Third grade children as young as 8-years-old were making the devices when the fireworks erupted at 11:10 a.m. The blast killed nearly the entire class of 45, 37 children and 4 teachers. By the end of the week, Chinese officials were saying a 33-year-old suicidal villager, Li Chuicai, broke into the school with two sacks of fireworks and detonated them, killing himself and destroying four classrooms at the school. The parents dismissed the report saying their children were making fireworks in the school, a practice that is common in small Chinese villages. Tanbu is about 440 miles southwest of Shanghai.

Largo High School, Largo, Maryland

Tuesday, March 6, 2001

With a history of criminal offenses, 14-year-old Dominic White was arrested at 1:30 Wednesday morning for attempting to kill an unnamed 17-year-old outside Largo High, which neither of the two attended. Since the victim is also a witness to the shooting, police withheld his/her name. Dominic and another teen entered Largo High after classes had been dismissed, looking for their victim. They found him/her in the cafeteria watching a student-led fashion show. An altercation between the three flowed outside where Dominic pulled out a small-caliber handgun and fired a single shot at his victim.

Limeira, Brazil

Tuesday, March 6, 2001

This is the second time three acts of school violence have happened on the same day, the first was back on May 21, 1998. A 15-year-old male student draws a handgun from his backpack and starts shooting wildly. He kills a 13-year-old and wounds two more students. His mother, having witnessed the shooting, quickly pushed her son into their car and fled the scene.

Bishop Neumann Junior-Senior High School, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Wednesday, March 7, 2001

In a Roman Catholic school, 14-year-old 8th grader Elizabeth Bush shot fellow 8th grader, and head cheerleader, Kimberly Marchese, 13, in her shoulder from behind as they ate lunch. Kimberly was shot with a .22-caliber pistol. The girls had an ongoing argument that led to the shooting. Kimberly and other students fled the basement cafeteria while others, including her brother flipped a table and used it as a shield as Elizabeth approached. 9th grader Brent Paucke talked her into dropping the gun and he kicked it away. The school has about 230 students. Elizabeth was sentenced to an indeterminate term at a treatment facility for juveniles with the judge stating he may hold her until she turns 21.

Kentwood High School, Covington, Washington

Thursday, March 8, 2001

A "distraught" and "suicidal" 16-year-old male student pulled out a handgun today and took his classmates hostage. The room was in a portable building and he did not point the gun at anybody. He eventually let his classmates leave the room unharmed.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Granite Hills High School, El Cajon, California

Thursday, March 22, 2001

Seven miles southeast of Santana High School and 17 days after Charles Andrew Williams killed two of his classmates, school violence hit the suburbs of San Diego again. This shooting began at 12:54 p.m. when 18-year-old Jason Hoffman exited from a car and fired shots outside the administration building. He was carrying a .22-caliber semiautomatic handgun and a 12-guage shotgun. He injured two teachers: Priscilla Murphy with wounds in her left arm and legs and Fran Zumwalt. Jason also wounded six students: Billy Ditzler, Toby Halstead with an arm wound, Shaunda Hughes in the right leg, Carina Scribellito, Jennifer Strom and Andy Yafuso, who was shot in the chest, arm and head with buckshot. Jason fired a total of ten shots from the shotgun. El Cajon police officer Rich Agundez, Jr. was at the administration building when the shooting started. He exchanged gunfire with Jason, shooting him in the face and buttocks. Granite Hills student body swells past 2,900 teenagers. On Monday, October 29, 2001, Jason hanged himself in his jail cell with his bed sheets. Jason had pleaded guilty earlier and his sentencing was set for Thursday, November 8.

THE INJURED:

Billy Ditzler, 16	Toby Halstead, 15
Shaunda Hughes, 17	Priscilla Murphy, 53
Carina Scribellito, 17	Jennifer Strom, 15
Andy Yafuso, 16	Fran Zumwalt, 47

Holy Rose Academy (High School), Miami, Florida

Sunday, March 25, 2001

18-year-old Ukrainian student Mykhaylo Kofel was studying to become a monk in the Byzantine Monastic Order of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In a rare weekend act of school violence, he stabbed and bludgeoned to death 39-year-old Michelle Lewis, a Greek Catholic nun. Her nude body was found today in her residence with over 90 stab wounds. She had taught at the school for five years. On February 10, 2005, Mykhaylo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed burglary. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The charges had been reduced (from first-degree murder) after prosecutors discovered, and believed, that he had been sexually abused by two priests. However, many agencies, including the FBI, have found no corroborating evidence of the abuse.

Source: Miami Sun-Sentinel - Apprentice Monk Admits Murdering Nun at Miami-Dade School

Kyanguli Secondary School, Machakos, Kenya

Monday, March 26, 2001

Around 1:40 a.m. a fire broke out in one of the male dormitories at Kyanguli Secondary School. The fire, during a rain storm, initially killed 58 boys, ranging in age from 15 to 19, and seriously wounded 28 others. The fumes quickly engulfed the dormitory holding 130 young men, and the roof collapsed sealing the fate of almost half the boys. Survivors said they smelled petrol before the fire began, and seeing another student flee scene just before the fire began in earnest. The dormitory had two doors, one was padlocked, and many windows, all barred. Police speculated the fire was set intentionally in retaliation because college-entrance exams tests for more than 100 students had been thrown out due to allegations of cheating. This would have caused the students to repeat their last year of studies. By Tuesday afternoon, nine more boys had died, raising the death toll to 67. Most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition. A mass burial was held for all of the victims. On Friday, April 6, 2001, police arrested Felix Mambo Ngumbao, 16, and Davies Otieno Onyango, 17, both students of the school, in connection with the fire. The following Monday, they were charged with 67 counts of murder. Machakos is 30 miles east of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya.

A High School in Tyler, Texas

Tuesday, March 27, 2001

A campus police officer was assaulted today by a 15-year-old male student with a .22-caliber gun. The officer was able to disarm the student before he caused any more mayhem.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Manila High School, Manila, Philippines

Friday, March 30, 2001

This afternoon Joseph Marlo Maliwanag and his friend Andrew A. Daez approached the Manila High School compound. They are members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity and were stopped by security guard Nicanor Endraca. An exchange of words led to a scuffle between Nicanor and Joseph that climaxed when Nicanor pulled out a knife and stabbed Joseph to death. Joseph was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder.

Source: Tempo - Guard Gets 14 Years for Slaying Frat Man (published 5-23-07)

Lew Wallace High School, Gary, Indiana

Friday, March 30, 2001

17-year-old Donald Burt had only one target in mind this morning as he walked through the school's parking lot. He put his gun aside Neal Boyd's head and fired one shot, killing the 16-year-old tenth grader. He then fled the scene, and was arrested at his home, where he showed police where he dropped the gun. Donald did not attend classes at the school as he had been expelled for not attending. This happened at 8:10 a.m. before the 1000 students began their day.

Kleb Intermediate School, Houston, Texas

Tuesday, April 3, 2001

Elizabeth Trevino, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Kleb, asked permission to use the restroom this morning around 10:30 a.m. She went to her locker and pulled out a .22-caliber pistol. She went into the restroom and fired one shot into her right temple, committing suicide. Elizabeth was pronounced dead just two hours later at Northwest Medical Center. Her father, who had died several years ago, had owned the gun.

Source: Houston Chronicle - Girl, 13, Found Fatally Shot in Klein School Restroom Stall

Sarvodaya Bal Vidayala High School, Jhilmil, Delhi, India

Wednesday, April 4, 2001

Deen Bandhu's, a Class XI student, attendance was well below the school's required percentage and he wanted to transfer to another school. Today he broke into Principal Avinash Kumar Chaddha's office and demanded an attendance certificate. Principal Avinash refused to give it to him. The two fought briefly before Deen stabbed the principal. Avinash was rushed to a nearby hospital where he named Deen as his murderer before he died. Deen was arrested and convicted in 2004 but appealed that ruling to the High Court. He appealed on the basis that he was a juvenile at the time of the murder and that his trial should have been held in juvenile court instead of adult court. The High Court rejected his petition. On Monday, April 10, 2006, Deen was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Principal Avinash Kumar Chaddha. In The Hindu's news story, it named the principal as Avinash Chand Chaddha and that this happened in March 1999. I'm going with the Delhi Newsline news story as it had an exact date in the story.

Source: Delhi Newsline - Student Gets Lifer for Killing Principal (published 4-10-06); The Hindu - Court Sentences Rusticated Student to Life Term (published 4-11-06)

Wahluke High School, Mattawa, Washington

Tuesday, April 10, 2001

Several factors, including switching antidepressants from Paxil to Effexor, suicidal warnings and academic pressure, could have contributed to Corey Baadsgaard's state of mind as he sneaked through one of the school's side doors with a loaded big-game hunting rifle and burst into his honors English class. Corey, a lanky, baby-faced 16-year-old, held Michelle Hanson and her students at gunpoint for an undisclosed amount of time. Principal Bob Webb and intervention specialist David Garcia came to the room, kneeled before Corey and convinced him to put down the gun, thus ending the hostage situation. Mattawa is close to Moses Lake, where another act of school violence took place five years ago.

Monroe City Alternative (High) School, Monroe, Louisiana,

Friday, April 20, 2001

In September of 2000, a 14-year-old male student was expelled from Lee Junior High School and was sent to Monroe City Alternative School for the remainder of the school year. He was expelled only a month later, but was finally reinstated at Monroe City Alternative School yesterday, April 19, 2001. At 7:20 a.m. this morning, the second anniversary of the Columbine massacre, the 14-year-old's violence tendencies rose up again. As the first busload of students arrived this morning, they lined up to file through the school's metal detector at the doors to the gym. Principal Charles Rohner heard a distinctive "click" from the back of the line, the sound of a gun dry-firing. He looked up and saw the 14-year-old trying to chamber a round into his .380 caliber magnum semiautomatic handgun. He ordered the kids inside and then got help from teacher Daniel Magnum to hold the large wooden doors shut so that the young shooter couldn't enter. The young shooter shot at a custodian in one of the school's breezeway's, but the bullet missed its target. He tried to open the door, but the two adult males held firm on the inside handle. The young shooter fired two rounds into the door and found his way into the gym from another door. He aimed the gun at Charles and Daniel but they left the doorway before he could fire. Police arrived at this point and quickly apprehend the young shooter. No one was injured and the young shooter was arrested within 15 minutes of the first shot being fired. He was charged with three counts of attempted murder.

Source: The Shreveport Times - No Injuries In Attack On Principal

John Marshall High School, Cleveland, Ohio

Wednesday, April 25, 2001

After finishing up his custodial duties at 11 p.m., 33-year-old Demetrius Minifee was walking to his car when he was shot to death. No motive is known for this killing.

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

A Middle School in St. Louis, Missouri

Wednesday, May 2, 2001

Around 7:15 this morning, a 12-year-old girl stabbed a 14-year-old girl three times (twice in the abdomen and once on the back of her hand) with a 5 inch steak knife. No reason was given in the report.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Mountain View Elementary School, Anchorage, Alaska

Monday, May 7, 2001

33-year-old Jason W. Pritchard has an extensive criminal record. Today, he added four counts of first-degree attempted murder and four counts of first-degree assault to the list. He approached the elementary school around 8:15 in the morning and tried to grab 8-year-old Potasi Uta. Potasi jumped away and curled up into a ball on the ground next the school's outside wall. Jason bent over and tried to cut the huddling child. Potasi jumped to his feet, hit Jason in the stomach with his elbow and ran into the school for safety. Jason then grabbed Billy and Eric Moy, slashing them at their throats. Sixth grader Kevin Bruno, 12, got the filet knife-wielding man off another student by running into him with his shoulder, "like a football hit." The hit knocked Jason off the child. Jason regained his footing and started chasing the children. He caught Cody Brown and stabbed him as well. Kevin tried to raise the alarm by banging on the school's windows to get the teachers attention. By now, however, Jason had a hold of Stephan Hall and asked for his name. Jason replied, "Okay, Stephan, get ready to meet your maker." Stephan was cut from his temple to near his throat. Teachers herded the children into classrooms and began to lock the doors, but Jason was quicker. He charged into a room, pushed the female teacher to the floor, then was tackled by a male teacher. The children left the room in the melee. Mountain View Community Patrol members Randy Smith and George Smith heard the call for help on their scanner and rushed to the school. Jason tried to barricade himself in one of the classrooms, but Randy, George and other teachers tore through the barricade and confronted him. Police officers arrived with an array of weapons at this point and took charge of the standoff. Jason was disarmed by a beanbag projectile containing steel shot that struck him in the arm, leg and hand. The Anchorage Fire Department honored Kevin with a Lifesavers Award. Nearly six years later, on Saturday, April 14, 2007, Kevin wound up on the other side of the law. At a party at an apartment complex, he fired several shots into a crowd, injuring two juveniles, a male and a female. The shooting occurred around three in the morning and at two in the afternoon, Kevin turned himself into the police.

THE INJURED:

Cody Brown, 8	Stephan Hall, 8
Billy Moy, 8	Eric Moy, 9

Source of Kevin's arrest only: School Hero Charged in Shooting (published April 15, 2007)

A Middle School in Dorchester, Massachusetts

Thursday, May 10, 2001

Seeing his friend getting beat up outside the school today, a 15-year-old boy entered the fracas to help. He received a stab wound to his heart by a 16-year-old fellow student.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Moore Traditional Middle School, Louisville, Kentucky

Friday, May 11, 2001

In a language arts classroom at 8:30 a.m., a 13-year-old boy asked a 14-year-old boy for a pencil. When he got no response, the younger boy pulled out his pocketknife with a 3-inch blade and stabbed the older boy in the abdomen and the right side of his body. The older boy was taken to University of Louisville Hospital after the stabbing and was listed in serious but stable condition by the end of the day. No names were released.

Ennis High School, Ennis, Texas

Tuesday, May 15, 2001

16-year-old Jay Douglas Goodwin commandeered 20-year veteran teacher Andrea Webb's English class with a .357 Magnum just after lunch today. He ordered the students up against a wall, but in the panic, they huddled in a front corner. Andrea took a defensive position between Jay and her students, refusing to leave the room despite his commands. Andrea convinced Jay to release all of the other students in her room, leaving her, Kim and Jay alone in the English room. Jay fired one shot into the room, destroying a television set and then a second shot into himself, committing suicide. Early reports said Jay wanted a more committed relationship with Kim Crow, a classmate of his. Kim, however, wanted to remain friends. Later it was reported that the relationship was not as substantial as stated in earlier reports, although the two teens did know each other.

Coon Rapids High School, Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Thursday, May 17, 2001

Around 7 a.m. this morning as students were waiting for their bus at 115th and Eidelweiss, two male students began to argue. The older boy had knocked the books out of the younger boy's hand and stomped on them while they were on the ground. Police were notified of the altercation but by the time they arrived, the students were gone. Once they got to school, at 7:25 a.m., the violence continued when the younger boy, 15-year-old Michael John Paul, stabbed the 16-year-old bully in the back in a hallway by the main office. The wounded boy was able to walk to the nurse's office and was transported to Mercy Hospital for treatment. Michael fled the scene, but witnesses reported the stabbing to the school liaison officer, Detective Greg Andrie. Greg knew Michael and headed to his home along with Officer Ken Young. They found Michael walking along the street and when they approached him, Michael drew a paring knife. They convinced the boy to surrender and found a steak knife on him as well. On June 3, 2001, Michael pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and was placed in the Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction (EJJ) program. He was to remain under intensive juvenile probation, including time in the Anoka County Juvenile Center and in treatment until his 21st birthday. If he failed that, the court wound sentence him to 43 months in adult prison and a $5,000 fine. Michael failed to abstain from assaultive behavior and was sentenced in adult court by Judge Michael Roith on May 28, 2004 to a longer prison term.

Source: ABC Newspapers - Teen Facing Prison for Stabbing Incident

Pacific Lutheran University, Parkland, Washington

Thursday, May 17, 2001

Donald Cowan had an long-term obsession with a female professor at PLU. She put a restraining order against him. He retaliated by writing a 16-page suicide note and planning to kill one of her colleagues at random. He arrived at PLU about 3 p.m. and came across music instructor and organist James D. Holloway, 40. Donald pulled out his 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and, taking a step closer with each shot fired, the 55-year-old methodically shot James to death. James was struck four times, once in the head and three times in the torso. Donald also carried a .22-caliber handgun tucked in his waistband, just in case the 9 mm jammed. Donald dropped the suicide note atop James's body before turning the gun on himself.

Garden Grove, California

Friday, May 18, 2001

The next day, further south along the west coast, school violence popped up again. During lunch, a female teacher was alone in her classroom when an unknown assailant struck her in the head with a blunt object. The school had been receiving numerous threats since March.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

A Middle School in Cuthbert, Georgia

Monday, May 21, 2001

A male student in the seventh grade pointed a loaded revolver at another student while the two were in the school's cafeteria today. The young instigator was grabbed by four coaches and another student who were able to disarm the boy and hold him until the authorities arrived.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Middle School 44, New York City, New York

Wednesday, May 23, 2001

After months of being bullied, 13-year-old Christopher Velazquez was pummeled in a stairwell at his school today. His injuries were so severe, he had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.

Source: New York City Comptroller Press Release - Hevesi Calls on Board of Education to Install Cameras in Stairwells to Help Stop Rash of Assaults in Schools

Public School 155 (Elementary School), New York City, New York

Thursday, May 24, 2001

After getting in trouble for an undisclosed act, 9-year-old Denesha Blow wanted revenge on the girl she believed had told on her. Today, Denesha confronted the girl in one of the school's restrooms and the two fought briefly before Denesha's asthma kicked and dropped her to the floor. Denesha died while on the way to the hospital.

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

Newtown High School, New York City, New York

Thursday, May 24, 2001

Also in New York City today, a gang-related fight in a stairwell led to the stabbing of a male student. The boy was critically injured.

Source: New York City Comptroller Press Release - Hevesi Calls on Board of Education to Install Cameras in Stairwells to Help Stop Rash of Assaults in Schools

Francisco Javier Nina Junior High School, Mexico City, Mexico

Thursday, May 24, 2001

Two weeks ago, 15-year-old Diego Orlando Rosales armed himself with a .22-caliber handgun to defend himself against threats from gang members at the school. Diego's father publicly ridiculed his poor grades and ordered him to breakup with his girlfriend. This was too much for Diego, who tried to commit suicide in front of his girlfriend, classmates and teachers. Diego was rushed to the hospital and listed in grave condition Friday morning.

Evander Childs High School, New York City, New York

Tuesday, May 29, 2001

Gurvis Tafe, 17, and Rohan Allan, age unknown, began fighting this morning in a stairwell at the school. It was about 10 a.m. and students were changing classes at the Bronx school. The fight climaxed when Gurvis stabbed Rohan in the chest, neck and back. Rohan was taken to Jacobi Medical Center and listed in stable condition. Gurvis was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Several students told police ethnicity may have played a part in this fight as Rohan is of Jamaican descent while Gurvis is black American.

Source: New York Times - Youth, 17, Arrested in Slashing of Fellow Student in the Bronx

A High School in Richmond, Virginia

Wednesday, May 30, 2001

A female security officer was assaulted by two high school students today. She received bruises and was treated at a local hospital.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

East Haven High School, East Haven, Connecticut

Tuesday, June 5, 2001

In his second-period class, 16-year-old John Savinelli found out that he was going to be suspended for smoking. He fled the building and went into the woods behind the school where he hanged himself with his clothes.

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

Ousley Junior High School, Arlington, Texas

Thursday, June 7, 2001

With school out for the summer, the Arlington Police Department took over Ousley Junior High for a day of training. Just over two dozen officers were on site training on how to respond to a school shooting, or a shooting at other public buildings. They were supposed to have been using dummy pistols for this exercise, unfortunately, one of the officers was using his real service pistol and not the dummy pistol. He shot 27-year-old Cp. Joseph Cushman in the face and the corporal died from his injuries.

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

Ikeda Elementary School, Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Friday, June 8, 2001

For years Japan has had the world's safest school grounds, but that fact is changing as school violence is no longer being confined to the United States. Shortly after classes began at the elementary school, Mamoru Takuma, a 37-year-old ex-janitor from a nearby town, forced his way on to Ikeda's grounds and brought the horror of school violence that American's know all to well, to Japan. He was armed with a 6-inch kitchen knife and wounded 13 first- and second-graders and two teachers. He killed seven girls, ranging in age from seven- to eight-years-old, and one six-year-old boy. Mamoru was subdued by two other teachers and was quickly arrested. Ikeda has a student population of 700. Newspaper reports hinted the cause may have been an overdose of tranquilizers taken by Mamoru. Upon his arrest, officials discovered Mamoru had been arrested in March 1999 for spiking the tea of four teacher with tranquilizers at the school where he worked. On Thursday, December 27, 2001, Mamoru pleaded guilty to killing the eight students and wounding the 13 students and two teachers. On Thursday, August 28, 2003, Mamoru was sentenced to death by a judge in the Osaka District Court. On Friday, October 3, 2003, the sentence was carried out. One of Mamoru's last statements was, "I should have used gasoline, so I could have killed more than I did."

THOSE WHO DIED:

Yuki Hongo	Mayuko Isaka, 7
Yuka Kiso	Ayano Moriwaki, 7
Maki Sakai, 7	Takahiro Totsuka, 6
Kana Tsukamoto	Rena Yamashita

A Middle School in Boston, Massachusetts

Wednesday, June 13, 2001

After taking all of the harassment she could handle, a 13-year-old female student lashed out against her tormentor with a razor blade. The boy, 13 was slashed on his face and chest.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Takachiho Nursery School in Tokyo, Japan

Monday, June 18, 2001

A woman in her 50's armed with a kitchen knife forced her way into the school this morning and stabbed a teacher, causing minor injuries. No children were involved in this attack as the school was just opening up for the day. No names were released.

Lee Middle School, Grand Prairie, Texas

Wednesday, June 27, 2001

David Franklin Smith started a series of fires this summer evening in an empty north Texas school. The three alarm fire blazed through the school's library and several classrooms before being extinguished, causing $6 million in damages. The 18-year-old voluntarily went to Grand Prairie police headquarters to talk about the arson on Sunday, July 22, and was promptly arrested. The school plans to be operational when classes start in mid-August with portable buildings.

A High School in Hilmar, California

Wednesday, July 4, 2001

While Americans watched brilliant fire work displays tonight, an instigator had another type of show in store for a high school in Hilmar. Using a pipe bomb filled with powder and nails, the instigator blew up 18 lockers, scattering debris 30 feet away. This was not the instigator's first pipe bomb detonation. The first was two days ago when a similar bomb destroyed nine lockers.

Source: National School Safety and Security Services web site

Belmont High School, Los Angeles, California

Monday, July 30, 2001

A school police officer was shot early this morning outside Belmont High School, forcing the massive campus to lock-down nearly 3000 students for almost six hours. 33-year-old Officer Conrad Bonilla was slightly injured by a teenage gunman and his accomplice just after 7:20 a.m. The gunman fired one shot from a blue steel handgun. Police reports aged the teens between 17- and 18-years-old.

Never Forget Always Remember