Posted on 10/02/2006 9:16:45 AM PDT by DCBryan1
Edited on 10/02/2006 12:55:46 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Developing....
School Shooting injures one person,
Hostage situation may be developing.
Update: Multiple Shooting Victims and Possible Hostages in Lancaster County
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.
"It seems as though he wanted to attack young, female victims," Miller said.
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.
Excellent excellent point. And unbelievably, I never considered it...even though intruder alerts were even done as drills when I worked at the hospital.
Our homeschool co-op is BIG...and meets in a church. An open, non-secure location...
The public schools have more security.
http://kotv.com/news/?111853
Way to close to home.........
There are sick, evil people in the world.
He didn't tell them directly. He called either a radio station or dispatch and told them he was going to shoot in 10 seconds if the police didn't leave. They weren't able to establish cell contact with him is my understanding, but they were trying to when he started shooting.
They had a megaphone for the negotiator and the perp called a radio station and said to tell police to back off or he would start shooting. Right when the police got the message to clear out...the guy started shooting. THEN they stormed the place.
Are you sure they were Amish and not Mennonites ?
Positive, and from two different families. Primary green shirts and long black dresses in one group and Primary blue and black dresses in the other group. Families members typically all wearing the same color on the same day as far as I can tell. I'll try to find a picture of one of the outdoor phones and post a link.
The boys don't have cell phones. One of the released adults got to a phone and called 911. It was all in the presser..
No, but the police said that she knew which neighbor to go to that had a telephone.
Columbine was a bit different in that you had mulitple shooters and a whole shcool building involved. Students were hiding and waiting to be rescued. Giving the gunmen time only meant that you were giving them time to find more victims.
If a gunman has everyone lined up in room and can kill them instantly then it is best not to anger him or set him off because there is no counter assault that can be effective against him. Since I don't seem to be sure of all of the details in this case then I won't make anymore judgements about it at this time. I am just pointing out that force is not always the way to deal with a disturbed person.
I've been up to Lancaster a couple of times and met some of the Amish. They certainly have a lifestyle that most of us would dismiss as too simplistic, but they are generally happier than a lot of us are. I fail to see how anyone would consider them to be creeps.
One of the horrors of all this is that this is the last place many of us would have ever thought a tragedy like this would happen.
How can you blame the victims for the evil that was done? The perp took advantage of their innocence, with which he was well familiar.
"Apparently, the teachers were told to leave... Why didn't one of the teachers jump this guy? At least the children might have had a chance to run for it...I guess hindsight is 20/20. If I ever find myself in a situation like this, I'm going to fight the person."
No you aren't. You are going to think, like these teachers evidently did, that if you just listen to the guy, he won't kill everyone. You are not going to assume he is going to execute everyone and provoke him. You are going to listen to him, as one should when thrust into this situation.
As to the police - The perp's call to a local radio station to give 10 seconds notice was NOT a real notice. He was going to shoot at that point, no matter what.
Agreed, but I really hate our namby-pamby non-justice system. When someone clearly does this kind of outrage, they should be killed within 10 days after they get their affairs together. Williamsburg way.
Obviously they are not perfect, but not too many of us 'English' are either.....
And it is quite likely that if the adults had stayed inside that none of the young boys would have known where to find a phone.
You give me the creeps...we are even.
Prayers for the victims, and prayers for the killer's family also. I am sure they are heartbroken also, and probably can't imagine their father/husband did this. I hope they don't carry any guilt for matters they knew nothing about.
And then more prayers for the families of the dead and the injured, and the whole community.
Sure is. And such a senseless tragedy.
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