Yesterday morning at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, New Mexico, a 12 year- old boy opened fire in a crowded gymnasium with a 12 gauge shotgun. According to the authorities, the 7th grader, whose name has not been released, reached into his bag and removed the gun before firing on his classmates. Two children, an 11 year- old boy and a 13 year- old girl, were flown to University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. The girl, identified as Kendal Sanders, is in stable condition after being wounded in the shoulder and the unidentified boy is in critical condition after sustaining injuries to his face and neck.
An eighth grade Social Studies teacher named John Masterson is being hailed as a hero after convincing the boy to drop the weapon. Masterson reportedly asked the boy to put his gun down, and pinned him against a wall when he complied. Lt. Gary Smith, a state police officer, was dropping off his child and assisted Masterson with detaining the shooter. Masterson did not comment on his involvement in detaining the student, but did say that “It was a harrowing experience.”
After the situation was resolved, the students were bused to a local shopping mall and parents were notified. Parents were then led into the mall six at a time to pick up their children.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was in police custody and has been transferred to a local psychiatric hospital on a judge’s order. According to the police, the shooter reportedly told some students not to come to school that day and is believed to have been the only suspect after warrants were obtained to search his locker and bags. The shooter’s motivation is still unknown as Jordan Moody, a student who described himself as “friendly” with the shooter, said he was unaware of any possible reason for the shooting and claims that the shooter was not bullied by his classmates. “He just ran in there and just shot, really,” said Moody.