Serial Shootings Force School District To Cancel Classes

NBC 4 Columbus ^ | December 17, 2003

[flutters]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- South-Western City Schools are closed Thursday after two buses were found with dents believed to have been caused by gunfire.

NewsChannel 4 reported that the district contacted the serial shootings task force once the buses were discovered with the dents.

Though it is not known if the alleged incidents were related to the serial shootings, the district decided to cancel classes for Thursday. Investigators are expected to inspect the district's nearly 200 school buses Thursday, NewsChannel 4 reported.

The cancellation came hours after serial shooting task force members linked another shooting to the bullet that killed a woman last month.

The bullet was recovered from a home at 901 Brown Rd. Monday after a report of a shot entering the house. The bullet was matched by ballistic evidence Wednesday to the one that killed Gail Knisley, 62, of Washington Court House, while she was riding in a car along Interstate 270.

The bullet entered the home, located across the street from Green Lawn Cemetery, sometime Monday, and was recovered from a second-floor bathtub by investigators the same day.

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

What the heck? I'm not seeing this on the news...is this related to the highway shootings?

[flutters]

Yes, it is. It's the second largest school district in the area. The buses transport around 17,000 kids on 186 buses.

[LisaMalia]

That is the district where my daughter teaches. I just got off the phone with her. Please everyone, pray for her safely.

[flutters]

ping

[flutters]

I sure will, Lisa. My nephew attends south-western schools. He has his Christmas band concert tomorrow, I'm sure it will be canceled. Dang shooter. This really ticks me off. The kids work so hard for the concerts and they really look forward to performing for their family. Thanks to the sniper, it's a ruined evening for many families.

[Bosco]

This is big news on 2 fronts for the I-270 shooter.

1) 2 SW School District buses had dents caused by bullets. The School District Supt. said that the buses were already taking alternate routes to avoid contact with the freeway (I-270).
2) The house that was shot at was out of the areas that the shooter has been active in the past.

[LisaMalia]

I know, I'm just sick about this. Prayers for the safety of you, your nephew and family, and that they catch these people soon. It has to be more than one.

[LisaMalia]

Hi Kim, it was the top story on both channels 4 and 10 in Columbus. I didn't check 6. Looks like they're connected, but the tests won't be back until tomorrow.

[flutters]

Thank you, Lisa. Did you daughter say school was canceled for tomorrow only and do you know if Christmas break starts Friday? I'm thinking they will call school off Thursday and Friday, then Christmas break starts.

[Free Trapper]

Just wondering.Why do you feel there's more than one shooter involved?

[FreedomPoster]

"Dents" caused by gunfire? What are they making school buses out of these days?

[trussell]

I have been asked to ping the prayer warriors to this thread.

Prayer ping.

My prayers going up that this person/these persons are caught quickly.

Blessings,
trussell


If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.

[flutters]

Dents" caused by gunfire? What are they making school buses out of these days?

I don't know, but they are convinced the damage was caused by bullets.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Flutters. I've been praying hard since the news of these shootings broke.

[BlessedBeGod]

Lord, please send your angels to protect those who are at these schools.

[LisaMalia]

I think that at least some of the shootings are coming from a car. I can't imagine anyone being about to shoot like that and drive at the same time.

[flutters]

Just wondering.Why do you feel there's more than one shooter involved?

I think there's more than one because it would be hard to shoot at cars and drive at the same time. Especially on the freeway.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you SAM. I'm praying too.

[flutters]

Nice graphic. I might add that at some of the 'unknown locations' no evidence was collected. Some of the shootings happened before they were connected and before Gail Knisley's death.

[Dubya]

I am praying.

[LisaMalia]

I'm hoping they just close Friday as well. Why send them back for one day? Hopefully during the two week break, they'll catch them.
Have you heard if any government agencies are working on this? They need to get people involved that have more expertise on this kind of thing.

[Free Trapper]

Y'all certainly may be right about it being more than one shooter but I haven't seen anything,so far,that makes me think a lone shooter is out of the question.

I believe there are a lot of people that could have pulled these shootings off alone,from the little info I've seen.

[flutters]

Yes, some of the same people that worked the DC & Charleston sniper shootings are working on the case. I have the list on another thread. I'll try to find it and ping you to it.

[Samwise]

Praying for this madness to stop.

[Free Trapper]

Those "dents" could be caused by some kid shooting a .22 at a fair distance or a slingshot up close,even at parked busses,just to cause a "stir" while the "real" shooter had nothing to do with them.

[Alamo-Girl]

I join in prayer that these perps are caught quickly!

[flutters]

I hope you are right. I hate to think this guy is targeting kids on a school bus. I wish we had more information. I would like to know when and how they discovered the 'dents'.

[Free Trapper]

Me too.With school busses involved,it crosses my mind that OBL had threatened a long time back to take "America's children",iirc. :(

[Sunshine55]

One of them is Bus 86, according to the neighborhood scuttlebutt...the bus my daughter rides every day. She said they rode bus 86 TO school, but had another bus coming home, so it must have been discovered sometime between 8 am and 3 pm.

[flutters]

I wonder if the bus driver heard something and examined the bus? Seems odd that someone would just happen to notice a dent on two separate school buses.

LEO's have been asking people to examine their trucks, cars, etc. so they get timely reports. Maybe the school district took their advice and inspect the buses daily???

[LisaMalia]

They said on the news that they would have the results of the ballistic tests on the school busses tomorrow.

[LisaMalia]

Sorry, that would be ballistic tests from one of the other shootings.
This is the latest from channel 4, recently updated.
http://www.nbc4columbus.com/news/2711721/detail.html

[Sunshine55]

I won't be surprised if they discover more after tomorrow, although I hope not. I'm not sure where the bus yard is, are you? I know it's in Grove City, but I'm not sure where or what surrounds it.

[flutters]

I found this on 10's website: wbns10tv.com


South-Western City Schools close, bullet marks found on buses
Staff Report
WBNS-10TV EYEWITNESS NEWS
© 2002 WBNS-TV, Inc.

---

More than 20,000 school children will stay home Thursday because of a startling discovery was made. Two buses, two separate bullets marks found just inches from where students sit.

The bullet marks were discovered during routine inspections Wednesday. A driver and district employee found the suspicious dents in the right rear taillight area of two separate buses.

Because the South-Western City Schools are located where the highway shootings have taken place, officials called the shooter task force immediately.

According to district leaders, The Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Franklin County Sheriff's Department confirmed those dents were in fact caused by bullets.

Superintendent Kirk Hamilton says as of right now students aren't safe.

"We are uncertain of the exact location in which these
incidents have occurred," Hamilton said.

174 school buses will be inspected Thursday for other markings or possible bullet holes.

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

I'm sending prayers from Missouri for you guys. This makes me think of the snipers in Maryland..

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

I don't know why this is called serial killings vs sniper shootings...but I thought I'd use the maryland sniper ping list in hopes of getting the perps caught quickly via extra prayers.

They're shooting at school buses!

[~Kim4VRWC's~]

I mean serial shootings. Sorry, it's 1:30 am. Misread my proofreading..

[CELTICGAEL (Celt)]

Hey Lisa, I didn't know you were a Freeper!! Glad to see you here. I am aka WestlandCougarMom. Remember me from the Buckeye Board? I sent you the article from ESPN trashing the Buckeyes.

These shootings are getting a bit to close. I wish they would catch the SOB/s soon!!!! I will pray for your daughter as well!!!

[flutters]

New thread:

Sniper strikes again, hits house / South-Western buses struck; classes canceled

[cupcakes]

Not every school is closed down there. My daughter attends a private school and they are open for business...tomorrow's Christmas program goes on as planned. I don't think the other parents are that worried though, they travel in the neighborhoods in Grove City. We live over on the far east side though and can't avoid any of the areas where the shootings have happen to take our little one to and from school. My poor little thing was terrified this am but wanted to go to school so bad and that is where she is right now. Times like these I really miss homeschooling.

[Sunshine55]

I have 2 girls at Westland myself! Nice to meet you, I wish it was under different circmstances.

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks for keeping me informed. I drove near this area in early Nov. on my way to MO and was unaware of the shootings at that time.

How frightening it must be for those who live, work & whose children attend schools along 270.

I pray that the police are able to catch the perpetrator(s) soon!

[LisaMalia]

Hi there! Small world! Yeah, I'm new to this site, but I'm addicted already.
Are both of your boys in college? I was thinking that you said they graduated.
I watched the news conference today on channel 6 about the shootings. They didn't report anything new. I'm hoping and praying that this person(s) are caught.

[CELTICGAEL (Celt)]

Hi Sunshine55:

My twin boys went there, but they graduated this past June. Nice meeting you as well. I know, these shootings are getting to close to home and I pray they get the shooter/s before someone else gets hurt. Moreover, I would close school again tomorrow and go ahead and let the kids start their Christmas vacation.

[mil-vet]

Sounds like whoever designed the Stryker vehicle for the army needs to check out this schoolbus manufacturer!

[El Gato]

Those "dents" could be caused by some kid shooting a .22 at a fair distance or a slingshot up close,even at parked busses,just to cause a "stir" while the "real" shooter had nothing to do with them.

My thought exactly. Even a .22 at any distance where someone would be likely to be able to even hit the bus, will do more than just leave a dent.

[FreedomPoster]

Good point.

[CELTICGAEL (Celt)]

Hey Lisa:

Yes, it is a small world! My boys graduated this past June. Both are going to Columbus State right now. They are enrolled in the transfer program to Ohio State after they reach 45 hrs. One of them was offered to walk on at Bowling Green and the University of Cincy for football, but he chose Ohio Wesleyan to play football and then he changed his mind again. Teenagers! LOL He said that his heart would not be in it if he did not go to Ohio State. He was being looked at by Coach Tressel and after a three month wait it was a no go, so he is considering trying to walk on when he gets there. Not sure, he said as long as he is a Buckeye he will be happy.

[austingirl]

Prayers for the speedy capture of the perpetrators of this terrible crime and for the safety of the people in the affected area.