A 15-year-old Oxford High School sophomore, armed with a semiautomatic handgun, is accused of a shooting at his school Tuesday afternoon, killing three four students and injuring seven six others and a teacher…It was unclear whether the suspect had targeted anyone. Some said he was bullied.— Detroit Free Press
I’ve been writing about school shootings since the 1999 Columbine massacre. Sometimes (like now) I feel there’s not much more to add. I might as well repost something from the past and just fill in the blanks, ie. names of shooters and victims (the former often among the latter), the type of weapon and how easily it was obtained, the size of the school, etc.
I might also add a blank about the predictive warning signs that were missed in each case. This one was posted on the school’s own website three weeks ago.
November 12, Concerns and Rumors
Alerts2
OHS parent(s) and guardian(s),
We are aware of the numerous rumors that have been circulating throughout our building this week. We understand that has created some concern for students and parents. Please know that we have reviewed every concern shared with us and investigated all information provided. Some rumors have evolved from an incident last week, while others do not appear to have any connection. Student interpretations of social media posts and false information have exacerbated the overall concern. We want our parents and students to know there has been no threat to our building nor our students.
The safety and security of our students and staff is always our top priority. To accomplish this task, OHS has numerous highly-trained professionals who work to keep our building safe and secure. We have counselors and social workers who work with students on a daily basis. We also have two highly-trained security guards and an Oakland County Resource Officer on site who assist us as well. Please contact us if you are aware of a specific threat or concern that you have heard directly.
Sincerely,
OHS Administration
Up until yesterday, there had been 229 U.S. school shootings since Columbine, not including misfires or instances in which a shooter was stopped before inflicting deaths or injuries.
In the same time period, at least 307 people have died as a result of school shootings, which often includes perpetrators themselves. In fact, deaths from school shootings are still relatively rare when compared to the number of student suicides via guns occurring each year at or away from school.
Yesterday’s massacre at Oxford High in Michigan was number 230. Oxford High is the seventh major school shooting in Michigan since 1978. That year, Roger Needham, a 15-year-old self-proclaimed Nazi, brought a handgun to Lansing Everett High School, killing one and wounding another, apparently upset with having been bullied.
But the impact of a school shooting is felt far beyond the shooter and its victims. An ongoing Washington Post analysis has found that more than 278,000 students attending at least 193 primary or secondary schools have experienced a shooting on campus since Columbine. Among The Post’s most important findings: the disproportionate impact of school shootings on children of color.
The Oxford story is still breaking but everything I’m reading in the press this morning brings back jarring memories of Columbine and Parkland. There’s not nearly enough information yet to draw any big conclusions about the Oxford shootings. We don’t even know the shooter’s name or a possible motive.
The thing that stands out for me is that in the aftermath of all the previous shootings, there have been millions spent on ineffective measures, some with untended harmful consequences, ie. loading up schools with more security guards, cameras, and metal detectors. But nothing or very little has been done to control the flow of guns into the hands of young people. This, even in the very communities where school parents had to bury their children.
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