Education

A Chronology of Multiple School Shootings

March 23, 2005 1 min read
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Sept. 24, 2003

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A student at Rocori High School in Cold Spring, Minn., shoots and kills two classmates (“Minnesota Student Held After Fatal School, Oct. 1, 2003). Jason McLaughlin, 16, is awaiting trial.

March 5, 2001

Charles “Andy” Williams, a freshman at Santana High School in Santee, Calif., shoots 15 people at the school (“Student Tips Called Key to Avert Violence,” March 14, 2001 ), killing two students and wounding 11 other students and two teachers. He is sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.

April 20, 1999

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, seniors at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colo., kill 12 students, a teacher, and themselves in the nation’s deadliest school shooting. (“A Colo. Community Looks for Answers After Deadly Attack,” April 28, 1999.)

May 21, 1998

A 15-year-old freshman kills two students and wounds 22 other students at the 1,500-student Thurston High School in Springfield, Ore. (“Two Students Die, 22 Injured in Ore. Rampage,” May 27, 1998). Kipland Kinkel, who also kills both of his parents the same day, pleads guilty and is sentenced to 115 years in prison.

March 24, 1998

Four students and a teacher are shot to death, and 10 others are wounded, at the 250-student Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Ark (“Arkansas Community Still Reeling After Fatal School Shooting Spree,” April 1, 1998) . Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, are sentenced to juvenile prison.

Dec. 1, 1997

Three students are killed and five are wounded at the 490-student Heath High School in West Paducah, Ky. (“In the Wake of Tragedy,” Dec. 10, 1997). Michael Carneal, 14 at the time of the shootings, pleads guilty and is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years.

Oct. 1, 1997

Two students are killed and seven are injured at the 1,040-student Pearl High School in Pearl, Miss. (“Six Charged as Conspirators in Miss. High School Slayings,” Oct. 15, 1997). The gunman, Luke Woodham, 16 at the time, slit his mother’s throat before going to the school. He is sentenced to life in prison.

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