Teen fires shot in school
JOPLIN, Mo. – Assistant Superintendent Steve Doerr happened to be visiting Joplin Memorial Middle School on Monday when he witnessed a chilling sight: a student wearing a mask and a trench coat, armed with an assault rifle.
The boy pointed the weapon at two students and a teacher, then told Doerr, “Please don’t make me do this.” Doerr responded, “You don’t have to do this. There is another way.”
The 13-year-old seventh-grader fired a shot into a ceiling before the weapon jammed, authorities said. The student then left the building, followed by Principal Steve Gilbreth, who notified the office of the boy’s location using a hand-held radio.
Police arrested the student, whose name was not released because of his age, as he crouched behind a nearby building. No one was hurt.
School officials said Doerr and Gilbreth helped prevent a potential bloodbath, just weeks after three deadly school shootings in three states.
“I would classify this as a very dangerous situation, a life-threatening situation,” said school superintendent Jim Simpson. “This had all the hallmarks of a school shooting. We were lucky.”
Authorities described the weapon as a Mac-90, a replica of an AK-47 assault rifle, which belonged to his parents.
“We don’t believe he was trying to fire at administrators or students,” said Joplin police Officer Curt Farmer.
A note in the student’s backpack indicated he had planted an explosive in the school, which has 750 students, but no bombs were found, police said.
His backpack held military manuals, instructions on assembling an improvised explosive device and detailed drawings of the school.
“This was quite well thought-out,” Farmer said. “He had been planning this for a long time.”
Lt. Geoff Jones said the boy’s motives were unclear. School officials said the student had no major disciplinary problems.
Simpson said police told him the boy had a fascination with the Columbine High School shooting that left 15 people dead near Littleton, Colo., in 1999.
Jones said the boy’s parents kept the weapon in a safe at home. The parents told police their son apparently knew the combination to the gun safe. Farmer said it is not uncommon for people in the area to own assault weapons.