A young boy took drastic actions at school in Sparks, Nevada by using -what investigators believe to be- his parents gun to kill a teacher and wound two others. The young shooter subsequently took his own life, closing the avenue to know what prompted him to do these things. Investigators did disclose the boy had been bullied.
The report identified the fatality as Mike Landsberry, a well-liked mathematics teacher. Mr. Landsberry had served in the military as a marine, after which he retired from active service to became a math teacher. He appeared to be trying to talk to the young shooter in the hope of persuading him to put his down his gun, instead the young shooter fired at the teacher killing him.
Sparks Mayor Geno Martini talked about the irony of the events surround the incident. Mr. Landsberry survived Afghanistan and had served the country and surviving war, only to tragically lose his life in a school shooting.
Police authorities are still trying out to determine the cause of the accident. The two other injured children were taken to a hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.
Similar incidents like this one have prompted many to challenge the safety measures in school. Recently, a proposed school security plan was suggested across the country to arm teachers, add armed security guards, and provide bulletproof backpacks and whiteboards. While there is no definite say on this plan, some teachers were reported to have undergone training in self-defense to prepare for a shooter entering their school.
Christensen & Hymas reminds all parents who own guns to be responsible and active in keeping their guns in a safe spot. Communication with your children on a regular basis is the best avenue to go. It is once said that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Talk with your child, support them and guide them if they are facing problems or dealing with confusing issues. Bullying is a family concern and we should all be supportive in getting rid of bullying for good.
Original article by Holly Yan and Catherine E. Shoichet ay Fox 13.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia.