TACOMA, Wash., Jan. 3, 2007

Student Held In Fatal School Shooting

Teenager Shot To Death In Tacoma, Wash. High School Hallway

  • Play CBS Video Video School Shooting In Tacoma

    CBSNews RAW: A Tacoma, Wash., police spokesman talks about a school shooting in which one Foss High School student was killed by another student. The school was evacuated.

    • Tuashua Ware holds her goddaughter, Lataya Sorense, 15, right, as students evacuate Foss High School following a shooting at the school Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, in Tacoma, Wash. Photo

      Tuashua Ware holds her goddaughter, Lataya Sorense, 15, right, as students evacuate Foss High School following a shooting at the school Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, in Tacoma, Wash.  (AP Photo/Karie Hamilton)

    • Students gather in a parking lot after a student was shot to death in a high school hallway in Tacoma, Washington, on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007. Photo

      Students gather in a parking lot after a student was shot to death in a high school hallway in Tacoma, Washington, on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007.  (KIRO)

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       (CBS)

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  • Photo Essay Tacoma Tragedy

    High school student shot to death as classes were about to start.

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(CBS/AP)  A teenager was shot to death in a high school hallway Wednesday as classes resumed after the winter break, and police arrested a fellow student found wandering a neighborhood a few miles away, authorities said.

Police said the suspected gunman fled the scene, CBS affiliate KIRO reports, but he was later found and taken into custody.

Police aren't yet releasing a motive for the shooting, reports CBS News correspondent Lora McLaughlin, but they say it wasn't random.

Witnesses said the gunman fired three shots at point-blank range, splattering blood on lockers at Foss High School and setting off panic. He did not appear to be aiming at anyone other than the victim.

The victim "got shot — bang — and he just fell," said sophomore Malcolm Clark. "He just froze and he fell backwards into the lockers."

The teenager suspected in the shooting was caught without incident about two hours later in a suburban area dotted with homes and shopping centers.

The identities of the two students were not immediately released.

Freshman Sam Sao, 14, said she was in the lunchroom, waiting for the bell to ring, when the shots were heard about 7:30 a.m.

"Everyone was yelling, `Get in the gym! Get in the gym!"' she said. "At first we thought it was a fight. Then the teachers started getting on the tables and screaming."

Student Jacki Phongsavath told KOMO-TV of Seattle he was in a nearby hallway when he heard the gunfire. "I thought it was fireworks," Phongsavath said. "I looked around the corner and saw someone laying on the ground and blood on the lockers."

The school was locked down after the shooting. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day and students sent home about an hour later.

Angela Millette was among the parents who rushed to pick up children from a nearby grocery store parking lot. Millette, who did not have time to change out of her pajamas after hearing about the shooting, threw her arms around daughter Ashley, 16.

"I was looking for her and finally, by the grace of God the person opened up the school bus, and there's my daughter," Millette said. "I was so glad to see that she was OK."



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Add a Comment See all 80 Comments
by ladyephesus1 January 3, 2007 12:19 PM PST
I wonder where the parents are for the shooter??
Whats he or she doing with a gun?? geez parents, get away from the TV for a second and find out whats going on with your kids!!!!!

Mom is probably watching Oprah!!
Reply to this comment
by noid4me2006 January 3, 2007 12:22 PM PST
May God be with the victim's family and friends.
Reply to this comment
by hlombardi January 3, 2007 12:31 PM PST
Our prayers are with the victims family and friends and also for the shooters family and friends.


How can you blame the parents of the shooter this kid could have come from a good home or a poor home sometimes no one can control what their children are going to do. When there is a will to do something there is a way for them to get their hands on a gun no matter what!
Reply to this comment
by carlanieves January 3, 2007 12:33 PM PST
You can not always blame the parents! I have three children, 20, 18 & 15, and I hope and pray to God that I have instilled in them to know right from wrong. When young people get out into the world they meet up with obstacles in their life that can change them with the blink of an eye. Let's not blame the parents until you really know the whole story. What if it was an adult, then who would we blame? Society makes some of these young people what they are, and we all live in society.....
Reply to this comment
by sharonac1960 January 3, 2007 12:34 PM PST
My heart goes out to the family & friends of this deceased student, I pray that God comfort each of their hearts, as only He can!
My concern and heart's thoughts, Our nation doesn't want prayer in school, neither will they allow the 10 commandments to be posted in our school's or government business's & offices, And the officials wonder why America is in the condition it is in, The Holy Bible states that a Nation that forsakes God shall perish.
Unless America repents it is sad to say We will all perish, Sin will cause a country to be destroyed from within.
2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sin & heal their land.
I pray for mercy for all of our children and grandchildren, May America repent and turn away from all evil. That our children and their children may have a better place to live.
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by noid4me2006 January 3, 2007 12:35 PM PST
I agree, we should not put the blame on the parents. We know nothing at this point about the shooter, let alone his parents.
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by noid4me2006 January 3, 2007 12:36 PM PST
Do you really think forced prayer in school would have prevented this tragedy?
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by noid4me2006 January 3, 2007 12:41 PM PST
I believe that prayer was allowed in school back when the Bath School Massacre occured - 45 died and another 58 were injured.
Reply to this comment
by carlanieves January 3, 2007 12:44 PM PST
Forced prayer in school or anywhere else in a young persons life cannot change them from getting into situations they should not be in. In my church there was a young girl who went to church 2 times a week for 15 years and killed her mother because she would not let her go to a school party. Another young man that went to church from 3-16 years od age has 4 babies by three different young woman. So no, I don't believe making a young person pray will change all their decisions. It is the person themselves that made this decision to do this, who knows they might pray everyday? You can't state what if this, or what if that... We just don't know..
Reply to this comment
by susieq_13 January 3, 2007 12:47 PM PST
How awful. Another shooting in our schools. Back when I was in school, we had prayer and said the Pledge. We never even dreamed students would be shot in their own schools. I think prayer did help in the old days and of course in my opinion; prayer does still help. May God be with those in their time of tradgedy.
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by saransk January 3, 2007 12:51 PM PST
While prayer in school would not have prevented this, stricter gun laws would have. The easy access to guns, combined with an acceptance of their use to "right wrongs" by many has caused these acts. 30 years ago no one would have thought to bring a gun to school, much less use it against a classmate - now high school age children routinely use them on each other. We need to stop our children killing each other - why must we have such easy access to deadly weapons.
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by caliking13 January 3, 2007 12:55 PM PST
This all goes back to bad parenting. Do we really know who are children are? Do we know what they are capable of? Maybe spanking(s) aren't a bad thing.
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by saphireblue1-2009 January 3, 2007 12:58 PM PST
Why is it that not matter what happens when children are involved it get pushed onto the parents? I'm guessing that the person who made that statement is not a parent. and if you are then lets say that your child did the same thing it woulb be your faul right????
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by vudublu January 3, 2007 1:05 PM PST
It really arises from the de-sensitivity of our culture.... computer games, music , tv, latch key kids trying to find something to grasp..... Remember when we made it a point to know what our children were doing.. instead of "out of my hair" attitude?? I think it is time we get back to basics.
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by armymedic5 January 3, 2007 1:05 PM PST
the person that commented that stricter gun laws would have prevented this is your typical ignorant liberal who knows nothing about everything. These kids that do harm to their fellow students have been failed by society and their parents. I could write a book on that but if guns werent available then they would use knives, if no knives they would use something else. Its a behavorial problem with deep mental and emotional roots that stem mostly from lack of proper parenting and society not taking responsibility in its role to provide proper mentoring for these kids. Im in the army we never have access to our weapons ulness we are training with them, but a couple weeks ago one soldier stabbed another on my base because he got drunk and coudlnt control himself over a dispute. Its not the knife or the alcohol's fault that the incident happened. The individual is responsible but nobody takes responsibility anywhere and they prefer the easy way out to blame it on teh devices used.
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by erinard January 3, 2007 1:06 PM PST
"Stricter gun laws" will NOT stop gun violence. An objective judicial system that holds people accountable for their actions, regardless of age or so-called "mental state" is the only answer.

"30 years ago" plenty of students took guns to school, and hunted rabbits or squirrels with them on the way home. School shootings are a postmodern phenomenon, coincident with the postmodern philosophy of relativism.

Return objective justice to our courts and objective (secular) education to our schools and watch things improve overnight.
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by usawatchman January 3, 2007 1:11 PM PST
Posted by armymedic5 at 01:05 PM : Jan 03, 2007


Amen..!
Reply to this comment
by bijasanti January 3, 2007 1:14 PM PST
Trying to pin down the reason for these things happening to one thing is as insane as the acts themselves. It falls on all our shoulders. A society that let's our own fears push us to say ok to everything and then panic when negative things happen next door. A simple solution would be to stop being so concerned with what others are doing and maintain our own backyards. Is it MTV, PS2, the law or lack of it, a parents rights or negligence, a self centered society... It's all of it... WE MUST STAND UP AND SAY ENOUGH... We have to take individual action when we see wrong, speak out and do something to better our own neighborhoods.
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by January 3, 2007 1:14 PM PST
First, school prayer will not solve the problems children face today.

I do believe that parenting is not the fault, but a component. Think about this: children today are looking for direction--like in any other era--and we should be giving them that direction at as young of an age as possible.

Children also need mental stability. If they're constantly being told they will go to hell for being evil--sinning--then they are less likely to care about their decisions.

I'm not denying religion here. I am just saying children should be more informed and allowed to 'know and understand' the many things most parents try to shield them from. Shielding isn't protection. Shielding creates a lamb that society will slaughter.

I am very sorry to hear about this childs death. Blaming won't bring this child back, but there's certainly no harm in analyzing and trying to learn from it.
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by acauble1 January 3, 2007 1:20 PM PST
The problem:

EVERYTHING!

Bad parenting, violence in video games, movies, TV, music, lack of personal responsibility, etc.

All of these societal issues combine to make a 'perfect storm' of psychological confusion in our children today. Sadly, it doesn't appear that any change for the better is on the horizon. Sadly again, proper dicipline as most of us knew 30+ years ago is now considered "child abuse". Unfortunately, what we're left with is people screaming about better 'rehabilitation' for the young offenders.

I'm sorry, but you just can't rehabilitate a monster!
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by fredegrar January 3, 2007 1:40 PM PST
Any guesses as to the cause are probably premature. We don't know the circumstances. We don't know how the suspect was parented, we don't know if he/she was religious or not, on drugs, what they were murderously upset about, or how they got the gun. All guesses at this point are just that - little more than vehicles for people to express their political beliefs. If we care so much about an 'objective judicial system', maybe we should practice a little objectivism ouselves and wait for the facts to come out.

To the family of the victim: my sincerest condolences. I'll keep an eye open for a memorial fund to donate to...
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by jilljudit January 3, 2007 1:41 PM PST
PUH-LEEZ! STOP blaming the parents! I know in a situation like this, we want to find some answer that makes sense--like lack of God, or lack of parents, or rock 'n roll, etc., but the fact is, something like this is NOT LOGICAL, it is INsane! So, those of us who are sane can not possibly begin to make sense out of it. It is tragic and horrible, and possibly could be caused by a mixture of many things-- or maybe was simply a chemicle imbalance. WE SIMPLY DON'T AND WON'T EVER REALLY KNOW. That is the hardest part to deal with. I am a school teacher, and a parent and usually one of those categories are to blame when it comes to teen shootings. The fact is, they (teens) can have a totally separate life no matter how "on top of them" we are or are not... we can only do our BEST. I'm sure that Mother (EVEN IF SHE WAS WATCHING OPRAH!) will be going through her own personal punishment, without society blaming her for the actions of her killer-son! Let's show a little sensitivity, people!
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by gwagener January 3, 2007 1:41 PM PST
The article dosn't say anything about the shooter other than he is male and was caught (allegedly). So why are all the posts assuming the shooter was a student?
Reply to this comment
by jilljudit January 3, 2007 1:42 PM PST
PUH-LEEZ! STOP blaming the parents! I know in a situation like this, we want to find some answer that makes sense--like lack of God, or lack of parents, or rock 'n roll, etc., but the fact is, something like this is NOT LOGICAL, it is INsane! So, those of us who are sane can not possibly begin to make sense out of it. It is tragic and horrible, and possibly could be caused by a mixture of many things-- or maybe was simply a chemicle imbalance. WE SIMPLY DON'T AND WON'T EVER REALLY KNOW. That is the hardest part to deal with. I am a school teacher, and a parent and usually one of those categories are to blame when it comes to teen shootings. The fact is, they (teens) can have a totally separate life no matter how "on top of them" we are or are not... we can only do our BEST. I'm sure that Mother (EVEN IF SHE WAS WATCHING OPRAH!) will be going through her own personal punishment, without society blaming her for the actions of her killer-son! Let's show a little sensitivity, people!
Reply to this comment
by bobbelieu January 3, 2007 1:42 PM PST
*sigh* Everyone venting their own personal "demons" when things like this happen. It's video games, or not enough prayer (or too much) or whatever personal peeve individuals have or whatever "vogue" notion happens to get the most airtime on the 700 Club.

Anybody out there think that maybe this kid was just a little "eff-ed up" in the head?

Occam's razor, folks.
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by digidesign January 3, 2007 1:47 PM PST
No concrete facts are known as of yet, so people can assume, and most likely the assumptions are far off the mark. In my own opinion stricter gun laws would not have prevented this from happening. You've heard it before, you'll hear it again... make stricter gun laws and then the every day person has no access to guns. who's left? the criminal element. No one knows yet if this was drug related, or if someone was being harassed/bullied, or if someone just plain lost their head, or any of a number of reasons. Maybe it was gang related, maybe it was theft related,maybe it was bad parenting, maybe, maybe, maybe... But that's all they are. 'maybe's'.
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by jmag0707 January 3, 2007 1:47 PM PST
I do very much agree with your first commentor, acauble1. I believe that we, as responsible adults, allow our young people to be exposed to so much that they have no business seeing & knowing of. I also feel that we try much too hard to be "best friends" with our young people, and with that attitude, respect for people, objects & beliefs have gone by the wayside. I also view it as a shame that disipline as we knew it years ago is now considered as "child abuse". "Back to the basics" seems like a great plan!
Reply to this comment
by digidesign January 3, 2007 1:49 PM PST
No concrete facts are known as of yet, so people can assume, and most likely the assumptions are far off the mark. In my own opinion stricter gun laws would not have prevented this from happening. You've heard it before, you'll hear it again... make stricter gun laws and then the every day person has no access to guns. who's left? the criminal element. No one knows yet if this was drug related, or if someone was being harassed/bullied, or if someone just plain lost their head, or any of a number of reasons. Maybe it was gang related, maybe it was theft related,maybe it was bad parenting, maybe, maybe, maybe... But that's all they are. 'maybe's'.
Reply to this comment
by digidesign January 3, 2007 1:50 PM PST
No concrete facts are known as of yet, so people can assume, and most likely the assumptions are far off the mark. In my own opinion stricter gun laws would not have prevented this from happening. make stricter gun laws and then the every day person has no access to guns. who's left? the criminal. No one knows yet if this was drug related, or if someone was being harassed/bullied, or if someone just plain lost their head, or any of a number of reasons. Maybe it was gang related, maybe it was theft related,maybe it was bad parenting, maybe, maybe, maybe... But that's all they are. 'maybe's'.
Reply to this comment
by travioli2 January 3, 2007 1:50 PM PST
First the problem I feel is the media they make all this a big drama scenario. I agree the public should be notified but it is talked about and talked about day in and day out and kids talk about this at school. For example after the Columbine shooting I remeber seeing kids going to scholl with black trenchcoats trying to copycat the idiots from Colorado. Stricter GUn Control laws will NOT do a thing. Have stricter laws on drugs done anything? Holding the person that pulled the trigger accountable will do something will not the parents yes I feel nowadays some oarents are to pre-occuoied with everyday tasks and negelect there children. Some people will blame the gun and the gun industry but then if I am ever in an accident I will not sue the people driving the car but the car manufacturer. Like I stated befor ethe biggest problem is the media (90% liberal)
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by terry321654 January 3, 2007 1:51 PM PST
In response to acauble1%u2019s comment,

What an astute statement, everything is the problem, obviously everything in society is an influence on.... society. You can't just then assume that we need to change everything, especially when you follow it up by suggesting child abuse as the "correct form of discipline"
Ban GTA, Ban Marilyn Manson, Ban Ban Soprano's, and the next school shout you will be saying Ban Half Life, Ban Ozzy, Ban Law and Order. It will not stop, it is not the media, although yes, obviously it has an impact, the problem is not everything, the problem is the people who do not get involved in their community, the people who do not give these kids a reason to not go to jail, to give these kids a reason to live, we as a society have out grown our youth and they are starting to feel left in the shadows of our gross materialism and capitalism. Take the time to volunteer in your community and I promise the kid that you work with and care for will not be the next one pulling a trigger.
Reply to this comment
by terry321654 January 3, 2007 1:52 PM PST
In response to acauble1%u2019s comment,

What an astute statement, everything is the problem, obviously everything in society is an influence on.... society. You can't just then assume that we need to change everything, especially when you follow it up by suggesting child abuse as the "correct form of discipline"
Ban GTA, Ban Marilyn Manson, Ban Ban Soprano's, and the next school shout you will be saying Ban Half Life, Ban Ozzy, Ban Law and Order. It will not stop, it is not the media, although yes, obviously it has an impact, the problem is not everything, the problem is the people who do not get involved in their community, the people who do not give these kids a reason to not go to jail, to give these kids a reason to live, we as a society have out grown our youth and they are starting to feel left in the shadows of our gross materialism and capitalism. Take the time to volunteer in your community and I promise the kid that you work with and care for will not be the next one pulling a trigger.
Reply to this comment
by leeann26 January 3, 2007 1:53 PM PST
I would love to stop blaming the parents. It is hard when every day I witness bad parenting from my generation. Unfortunately many people my age are parents of high school aged children. They are self absorbed and more interested in their own entertainment and stimulation than they are interested in their own children. They are unobservant, permissive and sacrifice their children for their own interests at every turn. Oh sure, there are some good parents out there, but somewhere along the way my generation forgot that feelings and actions are seperate entities and one does not have to direct the other. Somewhere along the way the children of my generation never learned that valuable life lesson and now run around acting on every impulse they have regardless of the consequences. I hate to dis my own generation but what can I say. When I look at their materially spoiled but emotionally bankrupt children all I can think of is how we have failed to give our children the tools they need to control their emotions, actions and impulses because we do not possess the tools ourselves.
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by burnedupinok January 3, 2007 1:56 PM PST
The solution lies in this:
"If you have children raise them to be responsible human beings." It is not the schools job, it is not the social services job, it is the job of parent who take responsibility for the children they have.
Gun control won't do it. Parents who can expose their children to nature and learning about life from nature and experience rather than letting the tv writers do it. They don't give a *** if it does not make big ratings.
Before you have a child count the cost in responsibility it will require.
Reply to this comment
by digidesign January 3, 2007 1:56 PM PST
No concrete facts are known as of yet, so people can assume, and most likely the assumptions are far off the mark.I don't think stricter gun laws would have prevented this. make stricter gun laws & no one has them except criminals. Maybe it was drug related, bullying, harassment, gangs, bad parenting, or a combo of things. You just don't know & can't blame without knowledge.
Reply to this comment
by sassylassy56 January 3, 2007 1:56 PM PST
Everyone tries to blame everything on something or someone else...what about good old fashion manners, morals and scruples? People are what they are and will do what they CHOOSE to do. It's our forgiving society and lack of real discipline like hand-slapping and a little pat on the back and out of jail or prison for good behavior and ameneties in jail that are most times better than they ever had or will ever have. I say punish the punishable and stick to it with consistency.

I was a divorced mother and my children have grown up just fine. My children were latch-key kids and they are great kids ... my son never missed a day of school in his life and is an A-B student. My daughter also makes good grades, has high morals and standards and is a model citizen. Both kids are in college now. I was and continue to be stern and have always known where they were, who they were with, etc. It's a crying shame - that's what it is!
Reply to this comment
by mdtrager January 3, 2007 1:57 PM PST
Dear Sir:
I hope that if we know any thing being educated
and having knowledge we can still understand
what the Church, teaches us. The death of the
President, Ford, if you were hearing the commentary goes a long way to Explain the Shot-
ing around the Nation, and there affect. The
Education of the Population should not take
place of a Killing Feild of Schools.
The Fact is we are not getting the Point.
The Point is We, Are, The People. The fact is
our Right's are the right's in violation, not
buy one person, but the Process in place. The
System must change to one of The God Fearing
People of which The President Ford ws one ex-
ample of.
So you, know what that means, 'it is one that
you can copy, an be sure that if You Do You
will come out of the Box, Right all the Way'.
Can we ever come back from being stupid?
If you are a "citizen", we have the task
NOW, to change the Direction of both our
personal, and National ACTIONS. They are Worng!

Yours Truly,
Michael Trager
Reply to this comment
by bobbelieu January 3, 2007 1:57 PM PST
*sigh* Everyone venting their own personal "demons" when things like this happen. It's video games, or not enough prayer (or too much) or whatever personal peeve individuals have or whatever "vogue" notion happens to get the most airtime on the 700 Club.

Anybody out there think that maybe this kid was just a little "eff-ed up" in the head?

Occam's razor, folks.
Reply to this comment
by pzpeiper January 3, 2007 2:00 PM PST
I'm an American living here in the UK where guns are VERY hard to come by. Except for the criminals. But forget shootings here, and they have more then their share. The stabbings and beatings and clubbing to death of ppl here is beyond my ability to describe. They have gangs (many of whom are illegals) committing crimes for fun and profit. One of the in things (this past year) has been leg stabbings and if you think you can't die from that, think again.
The year before it was something called Happy Slapping wherein some ppl were kicked to death. Even young girls taking part in the, "sport."
I have some news for those back home who think a ban on guns (they have that here) will work.
The innocent will remain defensless while the criminals have weapons of all sorts. Including guns. At least back home in USA, I have the option to carry something of a self defense nature. Over here you can't even have pepper spray. Oh, getting back to the happy slapping thing. Everything done on phone/video so they could enjoy their killings and beatings later.
And they say Americans are violent. Yeah, right.

Reply to this comment
by lone_ghost577 January 3, 2007 2:02 PM PST
I believe there is a unified fault in the rise of this type of incidents. For one as parents were are absolutely responsible for being involved in our childrens lives to the point that we can recognize the changes in their behavior before things like this happen. We spend far too much time wrapped up in our own lives and not keeping tabs on the who, what, and wheres of our childrens lives. PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!!

Secondly society as a whole carries the blame for many aspects that lead to not only this type of aggression in children but others as well. As for gun control I feel it is creating much of the underliying cause by making it to where only criminals and cops have guns putting the rest of us in the middle. We need education not control. If children are taught the dangers and responsibiliteis that come with guns they have a greater understanding and responsibilty towards them. Growing up every kid in my school owned a gun and we would hunt together without ever an accident or intentional attack by our peers.

Ignorance brings tragedy so lets stop pointing fingers and fix the #$@# problem.
Reply to this comment
by pzpeiper January 3, 2007 2:04 PM PST
I'm an American living here in the UK where guns are VERY hard to come by. Except for the criminals. But forget shootings here, and they have more then their share. The stabbings and beatings and clubbing to death of ppl here is beyond my ability to describe. They have gangs (many of whom are illegals) committing crimes for fun and profit. One of the in things (this past year) has been leg stabbings and if you think you can't die from that, think again.
The year before it was something called Happy Slapping wherein some ppl were kicked to death. Even young girls taking part in the, "sport."
I have some news for those back home who think a ban on guns (they have that here) will work.
The innocent will remain defensless while the criminals have weapons of all sorts. Including guns. At least back home in USA, I have the option to carry something of a self defense nature. Over here you can't even have pepper spray. Oh, getting back to the happy slapping thing. Everything done on phone/video so they could enjoy their killings and beatings later.
And they say Americans are violent. Yeah, right.


Reply to this comment
by journalist21 January 3, 2007 2:08 PM PST
As per usual, no one takes responsibility for these things... no one/nothing is to blame. And, so, nothing can be done.

That's why this kind of stuff will only get ever-worse in this all-blameless, fail-to-take-responsibility society. And, as the result, our prisons are the fullest in the world, and our rate of repeat offenders is one of the worst on the planet.

Whatever...

Reply to this comment
by pzpeiper January 3, 2007 2:11 PM PST
Terry ... it really isn't so much the bans but lets face it. As someone pointed out easrlier, the cu,ture has become de-sensitized. And there really is something very wrong when a video game like Grand Theft Auto which you know *** well is nothing more then glorified violence, is now mainstream entertainment. What kind of culture produces and promotes that sort of stuff?
Answer: One in serious decline.
Reply to this comment
by terry321654 January 3, 2007 2:15 PM PST
My arguement was not to say grand theft auto is a great game, and you are right is reflects very poorly on our culture, but is a part of our culture and has been for a long time. The earliest "hit" movies were about train robberies and wars. The classic american country and blues musicians sang of drugs and shooting. My arguement is we need to get involved in our youths daily lives to make the have something to live for. So those games and movies and songs are just games and movies and songs, not their life.
Reply to this comment
by yourpointis January 3, 2007 2:21 PM PST
Bless the family and friends of the poor child that is no longer with them. I hate hearing about children being killed in their schools - a place they are suppose to feel safe!!

Don't blame the parents?? ***, if my child killed someone, I'd question myself! Old school parenting - you don't have to be thier best buddy all the time! Structure,respect,discipline, and don't be afraid to be a parent! When I grew up, yea, I had problems with people, but didn't resort to violence to solve my problems. I think some kids today have a hard time dealing with their feelings, emotions and frustrations. I just think it's sad, and hope it changes soon.....
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by debbie253 January 3, 2007 2:24 PM PST
Hi my name is debbie and i'm 16 I woke up this morning to the news teling me a boy had been shot at foss I don't attend foss but many of my childhood friends do so i'm sitting here hoping it wasn't one of them even if it isn't it's extremley sad and everyones looking for somone to blame but it's not about blaming the parents it's about bringing them to realization of how bad the schools are and how the hate and voilence is at an abnormal level they just think what their kids go through everyday is just a normal part of being in high school well I have news for you it isn't normal at all Try having to go to school everday in fear of something like this happening to you or one of your friends every single day...try having to watch obvious gang bangin kids sit and talk about how they own the school and if they wanted to hurt somone they could in an instant try being in an enviroment where you have to act tough or get effed up and i'm not overexagerating you just don't see it or live it everyday we have walk into a place where we are supposed to feel safe but we live in constant fear.
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by debbie253 January 3, 2007 2:30 PM PST
If your kid goes to
[Foss,Mt.tahoma,lincoln,and franklin peirce]
then this is something they are in constant fear of but we are so numb to it we push it to the back of our minds each day.


parent's would say if it was this bad a kid would surley say something but would they?would they really want to take the risk of being the next kid they announce dead on the news?would they really take the risk of getting hurt or hassled by other kids for being a "snitch"?No we just live with it.Parents would also say well wouldn't staff or the administration say something?They know exactly what's going on but no they wouldn't they will keep you in denial as long as they can always ensuring your kids or safe then another shooting happens...just think about it.
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by terry321654 January 3, 2007 2:33 PM PST
In response to Debbie:
I personally went to a small private school where I did not have to see or deal with what you are talking about, I now teach guitar lessons to around thirty kids in private lessons and work through an organization teaching kids how to record through workshops. Being 22, they talk to me about what goes on at school and she is right it is very rough, but I will also say that I hear about a gang member, or just a bully and then later get them as a student and have seen them change. They get involved and feel important and it changes them. This is not because I am particularly good and what I do, it is just because I am doing it. The more people that really get involved and work with our youth, the more we will see a change, this may mean less hours at work, this may mean a smaller TV, but I promise it is worth it.
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by debbie253 January 3, 2007 2:39 PM PST
In response to terry:

I totally agree i mean as bad as it sounds these gang bangin kids aren't bad people most are born into meaning their parent's and most their family are gang bangers I know tha tbecause I have lots of friends like that...I have one friend and all her borthers and cousins are in gangs...shes 15 years old...she told me it's hard being always having to be involved with something you want absoulutley nothing to do with...she said she doesn't want anything to do with gang bangin.I also have another firend who is a gang banger but shes still a human being whos still a kid and you can see it in her she isn't a bad person she just chose the wrong path.
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by journalist21 January 3, 2007 2:39 PM PST
In response to Terry... you've hit the nail on the head. The people in this society are so busy working like dogs to attempt to have every possible luxury imaginable, that they're too tired, too distracted, and too busy to care about much of anything else.
They're trading their kids, and the future of this society for huge homes with 5 bathrooms, 52-inch plasmas, 3 cars in their garages, and whatever.
Can't last, tho... the money is starting to run out, at long last... then maybe our priorities will get more realistic. Don't hold your breath, tho...
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