Hits close to home

[86 IROC-Z]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/02/06/...ef=igoogle_cnn

Ninth-grader fatally shot by classmate at Alabama school

(CNN) -- A ninth-grade student was in custody Saturday and charged with murder after he allegedly shot a classmate in the back of the head at their northern Alabama middle school, authorities said.

The shooting happened during a class change around 1:45 p.m. Friday at Discovery Middle School in Madison, just west of Huntsville, police said.

"I was walking down the hallway and just saw a whole bunch of kids start screaming and running, telling me there was a gunshot, (that) there was a kid that got shot in the ninth grade," seventh-grader Paxton Schremsher told CNN affiliate WAAY-TV.

Ninth-grade student Todd Brown, 14, died after being taken to a hospital in Huntsville, Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey said. No one else was hurt, CNN affiliate WAFF-TV reported.

Police said it was an isolated incident between Brown and the alleged shooter, though they said the motive was still unclear. One student, however, said he may know the reason.

"It was some discussion about gang-related things and the shooter just got fed up with it," student Jeremy Tuttle told WAAY.

The shooting happened in the hallway just outside the band room, WAAY reported, and immediately sent students running for cover.

"I was in the ninth-grade hallway and I just heard a loud pop, and it sounded like a gun. People started running," student Tyler Renn told WAFF.

"People started running toward the classrooms, so I just ran in a classroom and everybody was under the desks and the lights were off," ninth-grader Joshua Murphy told the station.

The school resource officer held the shooter and the school nurse stayed with the victim until the authorities arrived, said Madison City Superintendent Dee Fowler.

The school went into lockdown until 3 p.m., leaving panicked parents outside, unable to pick up their children.

One of them was Dixie Duncan, who sat in her car waiting to be allowed in. She read aloud a text message she said she received from her 14-year-old daughter inside the school.

"Mama, don't come to school. Watch the news. There's a possible shooting," the message read.

City officials planned a meeting at a high school Sunday with church leaders, city and school officials, and counselors. The meeting is open to the public.

"We'll continue as a community to work together to work through this," Madison Mayor Paul Finley said.

Muncey said the threat to the school is now over.

"It's a horrific event and I hate it, and I wish we could have changed it, but our schools are safe," he told reporters.

That middle school is a mile and a half away from the high school my best friends' brothers attends (they previously went there), and about four miles away from his family's house. Initially I was way more concerned for them, because where I went to school, 9th grade is in high school, and was under the impression it actually happened at their school. Apparently some of the kids I know from their HS knew the student who was killed, according to their facebook statuses.

[Smkn_TA]

Isn't it crazy how until columbine this NEVER happened. Then one kid gets the idea, and now everyone is such a copycat.

[86 IROC-Z]

Isn't it crazy how until columbine this NEVER happened. Then one kid gets the idea, and now everyone is such a copycat.

Yeah no kidding. Check out of the timeline chart of school shootings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_shooting

It's insane how much they've increased in the recent years.

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

stupid kids and their wannabe gangs

[importhater81]

Kids are cowards nowdays.No fist fights anymore,everybody wants to shoot each other cause they're afraid to get hit.Win or lose,atleast you live to see another day after a fight.

[Smkn_TA]

I can take a hit, I aint afraid to bleed, just as long as afterward you feel bad for me.

[justinmc978]

One of them was Dixie Duncan, who sat in her car waiting to be allowed in. She read aloud a text message she said she received from her 14-year-old daughter inside the school.

"Mama, don't come to school. Watch the news. There's a possible shooting," the message read.

proof that cell phones should be allowed in schools,

[justinmc978]

looks like >5 deaths= a massacre, damn i had no idea 33 died in the VA Tech incident

[Smkn_TA]

Never knew there was a massacre(6 killed) at the University of Iowa back in 1992. Asian guy went apeshit cause he didn't get an honor on his degree....wow. Asians be crazy about education.

[Mike97dakota]

all i gotta say is "shoot" happens

[justinmc978]

all i gotta say is "shoot" happens

OMFGGTFO

[Smkn_TA]

You make me wanna wretch

[jperkins812]

I didn't see the school I graduated from, Lincoln County High School in Fayetteville, TN. This was a few years after I graduated, but I can tell you that alot of things changed in that school after it happened.

[BKHgto04]

all i gotta say is "shoot" happens

Dude you are not right in the damn head. A friend of mine has kids that go to this school. Fortunately they were no where near the incident.

[wheeliE-maxx]

all i gotta say is "shoot" happens

Shut the fuck up Horatio

[02transamce]

damn shame. how does a ninth grader get access to a handgun? kid's parents will have to answer for that one.

[SHines-IT]

all i gotta say is "shoot" happens

How the hell does this guy not get an infraction for half the shit he says?

[Brian H Drifer]

maybe he is a mods troll account.

[SHines-IT]

Seems kinda ridicules he gets away with this shit.

[Brian H Drifer]

I smell troll