Tragic

[houseelf]

Yet another school shooting has occurred. This time it happened up in a small town in central Minnesota. A freshman walked into an auditorium and shot a senior, killing him, and another freshman, critically wounding him before surrendering his gun to a teacher. I am so sad for these kids and their families. I can't believe that this happened in such a small town. What is wrong with the world today? I suspect that this is unfortunately so common that it didn't make national news. Did anyone else hear about it?

Kelly

[PrincessFiona]

yep...that small town is about 15 minutes from me 8O

kris

[mommax3]

Actually, this made the headlines both in my local paper and on the internet news provider that is on my home page. So, so sad.

One of my former students went berzerk when he was a freshman at Purdue and killed his R.A. and then himself. Drugs were somehow involved on the part of my former student. It was a pretty big story at the time.

The kid was nice enough when I had him (8th grade) but had a TERRIBLE temper that was frightening to behold. The weird thing was that my best friend had both had this kid as a student, and had been on mission trips with the R.A. who was killed. My Aunt (also a teacher) had taught the R.A. in high school.

Such a waste. Why do we need all these guns? I know the old argument that "guns don't kill, people do", but it is proven that teenage boys are impulsive, and if they can't get their hands on a gun, perhaps the impulse will pass and they can get through their rage and live out their lives.

I feel so badly for the parents of all involved.

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

Sally, I do too. It is just so tragic all around. I don't understand why guns have to be so available either. If the child had not been able to have such easy access to a gun at worse he would have beaten someone up, don't you think?

This is a very gun-friendly/hunter-friendly area....and Minnesota also recently passed the conceal law so that we can all have our weapons as long as they are tucked away in our shirt pockets. WHY is this necessary? I don't understand.

kris

[SueC]

That is a sad story! We recently had a 10 year old kid in our town die from a gsw, they don't know why or how it happened, but he was home alone in a house that had several weapons.

[PrincessFiona]

COLD SPRING -- A Rocori High School student died and another was critically injured Wednesday in the state's first fatal shooting in a high school.
Aaron Rollins, 17, a senior, died at St. Cloud Hospital after being shot once in the neck. Seth Bartell, 15, a freshman, was in critical condition after being shot twice, once in the head and once in the chest. He underwent surgery at St. Cloud Hospital, where doctors said his survival would be monitored hour by hour.

A teacher stopped suspected shooter John Jason McLaughlin, 15, who was taken into custody moments after the shooting. He is in Stearns County Jail.

Police and school officials are prevented by law from releasing the names of juveniles, particularly in cases where they have not been formally charged with a crime. A variety of sources, including students and adults, confirmed for the Times the suspect is McLaughlin.

The suspect's father, Dave McLaughlin, leads the Central Minnesota Drug Task Force and works for the Stearns County Sheriff's Department.

Several local and federal agencies are working on the investigation -- typical for a crime of this scale.

When asked whether his department's involvement was a conflict of interest, Sheriff John Sanner refused to comment.

"Cold Spring is a safe community," Mayor Brigetta Klemek said. "Our hearts really go out to the families. We lost our kids today."

School resumes today for the elementary and middle school students. High school students will meet from 10 a.m. to noon at Rocori Middle School because the high school is an investigation site. Students could return to the high school by Friday.

Authorities spent Wednesday interviewing the suspect and more than 30 witnesses as they tried to determine what led to the shooting. They offered few details. They recovered the handgun believed to be have been used in the shooting.

Not a typical day

About 11:35 a.m., the start of fourth period, Eric Wille, a junior, was changing into his gym clothes for physical education class when someone yelled. He didn't really know what was going on.

But he saw Aaron Rollins lying on the floor as he ran into the gym. There, Wille remembers seeing a teacher standing over a body. The teacher yelled for someone to call 911.

Principal Doug Standke was on lunchroom duty about 11:35 a.m. when a student told him another student had been hurt in the gym. Standke figured he would deal with a sprained ankle.

"I went into the gym and saw the boy," Standke said.

The boy had been shot.

Authorities were alerted, and Standke needed to secure the school. He sprinted the 20 feet from the gym to his office and used the intercom to tell students to lock themselves in their classrooms.

Senior Matt Hesse was in math class. He could hear the nervousness in Standke's voice. The principal called a code red.

"That's when everybody got scared," Hesse said.

Students clung to the walls and avoided the windows, Hesse said. They turned on the TV in hopes of seeing what was going on. Students used tape and newspaper to cover the windows. Some wondered whether the announcement was a drill.

The students operated on instinct. The school has an emergency plan it used Wednesday, but students had not practiced it. Staff had run a drill Aug. 24. A fire drill was scheduled Wednesday afternoon, students said.

Ryan Hansen, a junior, didn't know while listening to the intercom message that two of his friends had been shot. No one told him what was going on as he sat in his history class.

So he tried to call his mom, who works at a local floral shop. She was making deliveries to the high school when the shooting happened. Eventually, his mother's co-worker told him on the phone that his friends had been shot.

Hansen told only one other student in class. He didn't want to increase the level of panic as time ticked on during the lockdown.

Back in the principal's office, Standke saw the suspected shooter handcuffed and guarded in an administrator's office. Students from the physical education class were herded into another part of the office area. Wille said he thought the shooter was nearby. Later, the students from the class would be interviewed by state investigators.

Chief arrives

Cold Spring Police Chief Phil Jones arrived at the school about 11:40 a.m. The suspected shooter already was in the school's administrative office. A physical education teacher, Mark Johnson, took the student there after stopping the shooting.

Jones has two kids in elementary school and one in the middle school. His wife works in the elementary school.

"I'd prepared myself for something happening, kind of like an armed robbery at the bank," Jones said. "I've thought about what roads I'd take to get there."

By 11:45 a.m., the school crawled with officers. Authorities and school staff worked to secure the building and take a head count. Parents began to gather and wait anxiously in the southeast corner of the high school grounds.

"It's nerve-racking," said Jim Dockendorf of Richmond. "It's not what you plan in the everyday curriculum."

Dockendorf was waiting to reunite with his 14-year-old daughter. A friend of Dockendorf's daughter told him about the shooting.

Stearns County Deputy Rick Hondl tried to answer parents' questions and calm their fears. Yellow police tape separated the parents from a parking lot full of cars. Two ambulances and a fire truck flashed their lights in front of the 850-student high school.

The sheriff's deputies and Cold Spring police chief performed the head count. They led students about 100 yards away to the elementary school in case someone still had a gun.

A helicopter flew Seth Bartell to St. Cloud Hospital about 12:30 p.m., said Dr. Stephen Jameson, who works in the hospital's Emergency Trauma Center. Aaron Rollins arrived in an ambulance minutes later, he said.

Bartell was shot in the forehead and in the chest. Rollins suffered a gunshot wound to the front of his neck, Jameson said. Jameson was involved in Rollins' care.

Rollins died at 12:54 p.m.

Jameson said at the hospital's news conference that emergency workers had to choose which of the two victims would go in the helicopter based on who had the best chance of survival. Hospital spokeswoman Jeanine Nistler said Wednesday night Jameson probably was speculating, and hospital officials were not involved in the decision on who arrived how.

Shock

Deputy Hondl told parents they could pick up their children at 1 p.m. at the elementary school.

When the time came, more than 100 parents marched around the parking lot past the east side of the school to greet their children with tears and hugs.

Nick Kemper walked stunned back to the parking lot.

"One of my best friends just got shot and may be dead. Who knows?" the

17-year-old said.

Kemper hunted ducks, geese and deer with Aaron Rollins. They had spoken briefly before school, but it was so routine Kemper couldn't recall what was said.

He was in English class when he heard his principal's urgent message. He became concerned when he heard Rollins' twin brother, Adam, paged to the office. He and his classmates hid under tables while they waited.

"It's kind of shock," Kemper said.

Many wanted to know how a shooting on this scale could happen in their community. But answers might have to wait.

Sanner said officers hadn't determined a sequence of events as to how the shooting took place. Officers recovered a small-caliber handgun when they arrested the suspect. They said they didn't know how many shots were fired.

Officers believe the student was acting alone. The suspect had given authorities a statement as of late Wednesday, but authorities would release no details.

Standke said the suspect had been sent to the office a few times and that the suspect had never asked anyone at the school for help dealing with bullies.

Law enforcement and school officials continued to work late into the evening. Among others, they interviewed Brittani Kelley, who recently received an e-mail from the suspect.

By the end of the day, Jones had changed clothes. School officials were setting up chairs for the morning staff meeting. At 7:30 p.m., Principal Standke sat in one of the steel chairs and summed up his day.

"It's kind of been the longest day of my life."

[Rapunzel]

Actually, I read news reports like this and my first thought is not about the method used to inflict violence, rather, I wonder what kind of life the perpetrator had to cause such a violent reaction! What background caused such a terrible temper to remain unchecked? Did the person adequately understand the value of human life? What societal pressures and character traits promoted this person to a psychotic break?

There was a school stabbing in my community two weeks ago. It happened not far from my house. These things are very, very common and don't end up making national news. The first reaction from everyone quoted in the local paper and from those I spoke to on the subject was not, "Good grief! When are we going to get rid of these knives that permeate society!" Rather, people saw the individual person's actions as the problem that needed to be addressed.

It's interesting how politics can cloud the issue of young people growing to be murderous in our society.

Jennifer

[mommax3]

I agree that the final responsibility for these acts rests with the individual, BUT guns can take out a heck of a lot more people than a knife, with minimal effort on the part of the perpetrator. I do not think the framers of our constitution were visualizing assault weapons when they guaranteed our right to bear arms.

Sally

[Rapunzel]

That an individual specifically chooses a weapon that will kill as many people as possible (be it a gun, a bomb, or an unconventional weapon) is most disturbing. It makes me even more alarmed that our society is producing individuals who are trying to kill as many as possible as efficiently as possible....

Our framers didn't envision quite a few things happening in our modern society - Hollywood violence, broken homes, and lack of parental involvement among them. Fortunately our need to have an armed populace to control potential issues such as violent political takeovers, incursions by terrorist groups, and the potential for a too-large centrally-controlled military to decide to "help" govern a country was envisioned by the Founding Fathers (situations that can and do happen in modern nations - including democracies).

Jennifer

[Rapunzel]

Something I thought was quite interesting given the support for Michael Moore and general dislike of the Second Ammendment of the US Constitution around here were the following links. The links are critical examinations at a movie that has shaped many people's opinions of violence in America:

http://www.hardylaw.net/Truth_About_Bowling.html
http://www.bowlingfortruth.com/main/about/site.htm
http://www.andrewsullivan.com/main_arti ... m=20021208
http://www.moorelies.com/ml/articles/di ... m?artID=16

If you google you'll find quite a bit more it seems.

Just a thought about the misinformation and shameless propaganda so many buy into.

Jennifer

[DCJenn]

Well, there's a whole lot our society has to do to fix things. But my personal opinion is that guns are not a necessary part of my life, I'm uncomfortable around them, I will never have one in my home.

I understand people wanting to go hunting (well, I can understand the concept- I have no desire to do it myself) I can understand people thinking that they are better protected in their own homes (although I don't agree that they are) but I cannot understand any need for assault weapons anywhere other than in the Armed Forces. Of course, now that they're available anywhere, Pandora's box is open.

I also think that it's far too easy to obtain weapons by either legitimate or illegitmate sources. Remember though, I live in the middle of a city where you don't typically need to shoot wildlife. (although we have rats big enough to feed a family of 12) I have never felt afraid being in the city. I don't mind walking around late at night and I have never been uneasy taking public transportation or walking.

Jenn

PS- Guns are illegal in Washington, DC. So, people go over the line to Virginia where cash and your Roy Rogers Buckaroo card can get you a gun. (and tobacco and a whole lot of heroin, too)

[Rapunzel]

but I cannot understand any need for assault weapons anywhere other than in the Armed Forces. Of course, now that they're available anywhere, Pandora's box is open.

I also think that it's far too easy to obtain weapons by either legitimate or illegitmate sources. Jenn

Well, one of the main reasons we have an armed citizenry is because of the all-too-common problem throughout history and in our modern world of national militaries with assault weapons taking over government. It happens even in democracies. Historically guns have been available to the public at-large within the US. It is recent history, however, that troubled youth have begun going on homicidal rampages.

Hitler actually agreed with you, Jenn, that it should be very difficult for citizens to obtain weaponry - but his reason was couched in history: An unarmed citizenry cannot defend themselves from threats from external or internal aggressors. It took 9-11 for many Americans to admit that American citizens can be attacked on US soil (although those that have studied history - both ancient and modern - have always understood the wisdom of the Second Ammendment). It seems quite a bit of complacency and arrogance has set in among our general populace since the last World War (not to mention ignorance of history and current events as well as principles of various types of governments).

Jennifer

[houseelf]

Just a late update...the second student was taken off life support last week and died. I am beside myself for his family and this community.

kelly

[DCJenn]

Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer...

You know, the process of debate is to exchange ideas. Why, then must you become inflammatory? Your arguments are usually well-reasoned but exactly how should I respond to being compared to Hitler? Should I continue to defend my position? Shall I conform to yours? Shall I walk away from what could have been an interesting debate?

Ahhh, Answer C. No need to continue down this thread. Besides, the point is, as Kelly just reminded us, another person is dead at the hands of a child with a gun. No debate there.

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

Just a late update...the second student was taken off life support last week and died. I am beside myself for his family and this community.

It was really sad...unfortunately though this poor little guy had no chance from the getgo. The bullet had gone through his brain and lodged itself into the main breathing center of the brain. He could have never recovered. I think they were just wanting to give the family time.

As to the whole gun issue. In a civilized society (like ours is supposed to be ) the idea of people owning guns and being allowed to carry them concealed under their clothes is simply ludicrous. I guess it's good to know that for all of the atrocities that hitler committed that he at least had some good ideas Regardless of what things used to be like and the rights to carry arms that we used to have...there is no justification in my eyes to continue to defend these conceal and carry laws. Back when I was in school...the worst thing that could have happened is someone might have gotten beaten up. It's true that guns don't kill people....people kill people...but easy access to guns IS a problem. Our society has become more mobile, more violent and more disengaged in general. How many people don't even know their neighbors anymore? I could go to the local Wal-Mart and buy a huge rifle in a matter of....minutes...that's ridiculous.

Why is it that other 'civilized' nations manage to still be safe and not have the right to carry around guns everywhere that they go? What I think is really sad is that MN just passed this concealed weapon law. Now, hanging in the church where my son goes to preschool is a huge sign "no guns in the church". Every time I see it I think of what a travesty it is that I live in a country where churches are required to post signs that people not carry in their weapons.

I don't want to be accused of being a europhile...but you know what....they sure have a heck of a lot less trouble with violent crimes When will we learn that just allowing more and more and more people to own and carry around their weapons is not making us more safe? It is an illusion.

kris