School Shooting:Multiple Deaths in Lancaster, PA Amish School, Shooter Kills Self

Not many details available yet, but an incident has been reported from Mine Rd. in Bart Township in Lancaster County involving multiple gunshot victims. Dennis Buterbaugh reports live from our newsroom. abc27 has a news crew on the way. We will update with details as they become available.

Update 2: Pennsylvania Police: Amish School is 'Horrendous Crime Scene' After Shooting

NICKEL MINES, Pa. — At least two female students and one slightly older female — who may have been a teacher's aide — were shot and killed execution style in what police say may be a revenge killing for something that happened 20 years ago.

State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said Monday that truck driver Charles Carl Roberts IV entered the one-room Amish schoolhouse in earlier in the day. The gunman brought in pieces of wood to board up the doors to the building when he entered the school. He also stacked desks against the building's doors.

"It appears that the suspect entered school with the intention of taking hostages," Miller said.

Roberts had wire ties and plastic flex cuff, which he used to begin tying the hostages feet together after they were lined up along a blackboard. He let go 15 male students, as well as one adult female who was pregnant. Three other non-student females with infants were also allowed to leave. One shotgun and one handgun was found next to the suspect when police entered the building.

After a half hour inside, Roberts began shooting. When the gunfire stopped, three females were found shot dead at the scene, along with the suspect, who shot himself, Miller said. At least seven more victims — some critically wounded — were transported to nearby hospitals, he said. One victim, a young girl, died in the arms of a trooper, Miller said. He could not confirm how many people died en route or at the hospital. The county coroner earlier reported six children killed but then backed off of that statement.

Here's the latest update I've come across, but I'll take another look in a bit... This is the same link as earlier, but the article has been updated:

Police: 'He Intended Not To Walk Out Of There Alive'

POSTED: 11:26 am EDT October 2, 2006
UPDATED: 7:03 pm EDT October 2, 2006

A gunman stormed a one-room Amish schoolhouse Monday morning, barricaded it, lined up students and shot 11 of them, one teacher's aide and then himself before police could even start negotiations.

The teacher's aide and two students died at the scene. Another student was dead on arrival at Lancaster General Hospital. The eight other students are in critical condition. The gunman is dead.

Commissioner Jeffrey Miller of the Pennsylvania State Police identified the gunman as Charles Carl Roberts IV, 32, of Bart Township. Miller said Roberts was a truck driver who delivered milk. He went to work last night and all appeared normal. Miller said Roberts took his children to the bus stop this morning and that the last time his wife saw him was at 8:45 a.m.

Miller said Roberts' wife found what appeared to be a suicide note Monday morning. She tried to contact her husband by phone but could not reach him. Later, Roberts called her and told her he would not be coming home, Miller said.

Miller said that it appears that Roberts was intent on getting revenge for something that happened 20 years ago, and it involved young females. All of the deceased, except for the shooter, were females.

"It's obvious to us that this was a premeditated hostage scenario," Miller said. "I believe, based on what the investigators have so far, he intended not to walk out of there alive, but he also intended to kill innocent victims."

Before the shooting, Miller said, Roberts allowed all of the male students, three adult females who had infants and a pregnant woman to leave. That group, which included the teacher, went to a nearby farm. The teacher called police at 10:36 a.m., saying that hostages had been taken at the school.

Miller said officers responded and that Roberts, who was heavily armed, could easily see them. Miller said Roberts called Lancaster County radio and told them if state police did not remove themselves in 10 seconds, he would start shooting people. A negotiator was able to get the cell phone number that Miller had called from, and just as that negotiator was calling back, Roberts started shooting, Miller said.

"They heard shots, multiple shots in quick succession," Miller said.

Miller said officers had already been preparing for an assault, and that as the shots were fired they moved in. Getting inside was not easy because Roberts had blocked all doorways with two-by-fours and two-by-sixes, which he had brought with him. Officers had to climb into the schoolhouse through windows. By the time they were in, Roberts had shot students, a teacher's aide and himself.

Miller said Roberts had forced many of the children to line up against the blackboard and that he bound their feet with wire ties and flex cuffs. Miller said that it appears when Roberts shot the children, they were shot execution-style. One of the shot females died in the arms of a state trooper, Miller said.

Some of the injured children, who have been transported to various hospitals, were shot in the head.

"He did a great deal of planning," Miller said. Roberts was prepared for a "lengthy siege if you will." If you'd like to see a list of all the weapons and material Roberts brought with him to the school, click here.

Tragedy In Lancaster County

Right now, Amish families are waiting at a nearby farm to find out which children survived. Not all of the victims have been postitively identified.

News 8 reporter Anne Shannon said people who were inside the scene told her with tears in their eyes that Lancaster County has never seen a tragedy like this.

"This is definitely an enormous scene," Shannon said.

The school, which is called the West Nickel Mine Schoolhouse, is at 4876 White Oak Road in Bart Township.

"They're all little kids," said a man who lives near the school. "I see the kids come right by my house … they're always friendly, waving, smile. They come to our house sometimes selling different goods … They're sweet kids. It just blows my mind. It's as quiet as can be out here."

Lancaster General Hospital called in all available personnel. John Lines of Lancaster General Hospital said so far they have received three patients ranging in age from 6 to 15. All of them are in critical condition with gunshot wounds. Only one of them was concious. All of those patients were taken to other hospitals that have pediatric trauma units. Another arrival to Lancaster General Hospital was pronounced dead on arrival.

Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County has also been warned that they will be receiving a patient via airlift.

Another injured child was taken to a Reading hospital.

The schoolhouse serves about 30 students from first to eighth grade. The school is among farmlands just outside the tiny village of Nickel Mines.

"Here is where I am coming from."

I'm coming from a similar place in that my father always had guns, hunted, took my brother with him. As children, we had toy guns. I can't say we had wrestling matches in the living room, nor do I remember knowing anyone else who did. But that didn't mean it didn't go on.

I think we have to define violence in one way. And that is as a damaging physical action taken with disrespect or disregard for the well-being of another life. That would discount the family skirmishes you described.

What we have now is sons and daughters who have fewer and fewer role models to teach them self-control by their own example in a casual family setting. At the other end, we have children who are over-exposed to adult supervision starting at a very early age. In order for a child to learn self-control, they must be allowed to figure out what works. If a child has good role models at home, they are more likely to come up with compromise as a solution to a problem on their own. As it is now, adults have taken on an intervening role for the sake of expediency. "Situations" are resolved for the child, so the child doesn't really learn from the situation. They just do what they are told.

We have too many kids who are not learning the crisis solving process (some would call it anger management) by experiencing the whole process, which includes accountability. And by accountability, I don't mean "go to your room." Rather, accountability means accepting that the method one used did not get one what one wanted and understanding why. This is why teaching children that they deserve self-esteem for simply existing is so dangerous. Unearned self-esteem, no self-accountability, no understanding of compromise and its value all being acted out in homes with no good role models, violence on TV, in video games, and in music, and we have set our society up for disaster.

What makes this all the more tragic is that last week, another Amish youth was killed, very close by.

By Brett Hambright
Intelligencer Journal
Published: Sep 26, 2006 5:16 PM EST

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Pennsylvania state police said Monday they are investigating a Sunday morning hit-and-run accident on Georgetown Road that killed a 12-year-old Bart Township boy.

Emanuel S. King, of 962 Georgetown Road, was struck and killed by an oncoming pickup truck about 6 a.m., while riding a scooter just yards from his home.

Karie Mitchell, 30, of Bart Township, was driving a Chevy Silverado north on Georgetown Road, police said, when she crossed the yellow line and struck the boy.

Police said Monday charges have not been filed against Mitchell, who allegedly fled the scene following the accident.

Trooper David Fedorshak said police received information on Mitchell's whereabouts following the accident. Shortly after, police found her at a residence.

Fedorshak said Mitchell's actions don't necessarily warrant charges.

"There are mitigating circumstances," Fedorshak said. "She is cooperating. The charges are pending, but we still have to do some more investigating."

A rescue crew found the boy and his scooter in a yard off the shoulder of Georgetown Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Lancaster County Deputy Coroner Matt Arnold.

An autopsy Monday morning determined the child died of multiple traumatic injuries found everywhere on his body, according to Lancaster County Coroner Dr. G. Gary Kirchner.

An Amish farmer who lives near the site of the accident said Georgetown Road has become known as the "Amish Interstate." The farmer said more than 50 buggies can pass through a location on the road in an hour.

The segment of Georgetown Road where King was killed is a two-lane road where motorists must cross into the opposing lane to pass buggies.

(The mother of the youth has said she has no ill feelings towards the driver. She would like the driver to come see her, as she wishes to let her know that it was the Lords choosing that took her son.)

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