Courtesy of the News Tribune:
A student was shot and killed at Foss High School in Tacoma on Wednesday morning, and police were searching for the shooter.The shooting occurred just before the first bell – about 7:30 a.m. – in a school hallway.
Teachers and administrators hustled students into the gymnasium and other secure areas and locked down the school as police streamed to the scene….
…
Valerie Marshall, whose son attends Foss, said the violence wasn’t a surprise. Gang activity has been on the upswing at the school, Marshall said.
“You know what’s sad: My son’s 15 and he wants to save up for a bulletproof vest,” she said.
I admit to being very uneasy about my younger son attending a Jr. High in the Bethel SD next fall that has a similar reputation for gangs and drugs. If I can find a decent private school, where he wouldnt have to spend a hour on a bus each way, I may opt for that.
Of course, at this time, we don’t KNOW whether it was a Gang banger hit; a kid who was bullied and ridiculed until he snapped; someone who played one to many video games; or a personal relationship that went bad. I will update as more info becomes available.
As an aside: When I went to ELEMENTARY school, we had an optional Hunter Safety class. Part of the class work was bringing an unloaded .22 rifle to school, to show that we knew the proper way to make sure the gun was unloaded and cleared, work the safety, and proper carrying technique. Many High Schools had Rifle Ranges, and Marksmanship teams.
I am not aware that any of the recent school shooters are kids that were ever trained in the proper use and handling (and respect for) firearms.
UPDATE 1: Suspect in Custody.
UPDATE 2: It appears that the Shooter knew the Victim, and by process of elimination, it appears to be the culmination of a personal beef.