SCHOOL-RELATED DEATHS & SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

1999-2000 School Year Incidents
Identified by National School Safety and Security Services, Inc.*
Cleveland, Ohio

* School-related deaths and school shootings identified through news sources nationwide by Kenneth S. Trump, President, National School Safety and Security Services, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio). This is not presented as an exhaustive list.  It is the responsibility of individuals seeking more details and verification to further research these incidents.  For purposes of this listing, the 1999-2000 school year is considered to be from August 1, 1999, through July 31, 2000.  

Note: This page and the work represented herein is copy-protected and may not be reproduced or otherwise used in any form without the advanced written permission of Kenneth S. Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services.

For purposes of this monitoring report, school-related violent deaths are homicides, suicides, or other violent, non-accidental deaths in the United States in which a fatal injury occurs:

1)  inside a school, on school property, on or immediately around (and associated with) a school bus, or in the immediate area (and associated with) a K-12 elementary or secondary public, private, or parochial school;

2) on the way to or from a school for a school session;

3) while attending, or on the way to or from, a school-sponsored event;

4)  as a clear result of school-related incidents/conflicts, functions, activities, regardless of whether on or off actual school property;

Identified School-Related Violent Deaths:  1999-2000 School Year

Total Deaths:  33

Breakdown by Type:
Shooting:             10
Suicides:              8
Murder-Suicide:   4
Fight-Related:      4
Stabbing:             3
Other:                  4

August 25, 1999:    Monticello, GA
16 year old student committed suicide in pick-up truck in high school parking lot.

September 7, 1999:  Plano, TX
16 year old student committed suicide with gun in high school restroom.

September 9, 1999:  San Jose, CA
16 year old student committed suicide with gun in 2nd floor restroom of Santa Teresa HS.

September 29, 1999:   East Point, GA
44 year old school police officer died after breaking up a high school fight.

October 6, 1999:  Parlier, CA
18 year old drove a pickup truck on a sidewalk outside a high school, killing a 17 student who had reportedly been involved in an argument with the driver earlier in the afternoon.

October 25, 1999:  Silver Springs, FL
A 16-year-old male Marion County high school student was shot several times and killed by another 16-year-old male student after meeting off-campus for a fistfight.  The males allegedly had met to settle an ongoing argument that had been going on for days over notes that were passed to a girl at Lake Weir High School. 

October 26, 1999:    Philadelphia, PA
16 year student shot to death in front of Philadelphia High School.

October 26, 1999:    Lincoln County, West Virginia
Murder-suicide discovered before school opening involving custodian and retired bus driver.

October 26, 1999:    Houston, TX
13 year old student stabbed in head with screwdriver during alleged gang-related fight at middle school and later died from injuries.

October 26, 1999:    Omaha, NE
17 year old student died after hitting head on floor during fight in high school cafeteria.

November 1, 1999:   Dayton, OH
School custodian shot to death outside of school in an apparent domestic dispute.

November 14, 1999:  Brooklyn, NY
14 year old Yeshiva Kavunes-Halev hanged himself in the school bathroom. The student was reportedly found hanging from a rope slipped over a pipe. No note was found and there were no signs of foul play, according to police.

November 16, 1999:   New York City (Brooklyn), NY
25 year old school security guard died of a heart attack after responding to break up a school fight.

November 17, 1999:  Springfield, MA
32 year old classroom aide was kicked in the upper chest while attempting to subdue a disruptive 5th grade student who hit, kicked, and spit on the victim and another staff member according to reports.  The aide, who reportedly had asthma, died two hours later after being taken to the hospital.

November 19, 1999:   Deming, NM
13 year old female student killed by 13 year old  male student who fired gunshot to back of head while both were in the lobby of Deming Middle School.

November 19, 1999:  Palmdale, CA
13 year old male student died from injuries related to a fight with a 14 year old classmate.

January 5, 2000:  Cedar Park, TX
12 year old female sixth grade student hanged herself in a middle school restroom.

January 19, 2000:  New Port Richey, FL
16 year old male student killed when a .22-caliber handgun was accidentally discharged by another 16 year old student inside a vehicle in the high school parking lot.

February 24, 2000:  Andover, MA
An 18-year-old male private academy school student reportedly hanged himself in a stairwell near his dorm room.  The male had reportedly resigned as class president weeks before after being disciplined for drinking on campus.

February 29, 2000:  Mount Morris Township, MI
6 year old female first grader was killed by gunshot fired by a 6 year old male first grader.

March 10, 2000:   Savannah, GA
19 year old male arrested for the shooting death of a 16 year old student and a 19 year old non-student.  Incident occurred across the street from a high school as hundreds of students left a dance around 11pm.  A 16 year old student was also wounded.

March 10, 2000:  New York, New York
15 year old student was stabbed in the abdomen by a 16 year old student approximately 100 yards from their high school and later died.

March 24, 2000:  Zebulon, North Carolina
12 year old seventh grade middle school student excused himself from class, walked into the boys' restroom, tied a jump rope around his neck, and hanged himself.

April, 21, 2000:  Marion, AL
A senior cadet was found dead from hanging himself in a suicide at a military institute.  A suicide note was reportedly left for family and friends.  The student was described as a very good student who was on the Dean's List and Commandant's List, and active in extracurricular activities.

May 5, 2000:  Glendale, CA
17 year old male high school student was stabbed and clubbed to death in front of his school by a 17 year old suspected gang member in what was suspected to be a race-related slaying stemming from ongoing conflicts between Armenian and Latino students.

May 10, 2000:  Sierra Vista, AZ
A gunman killed his estranged wife in a preschool classroom where she worked and then committed suicide. The preschool was adjacent to an elementary school.

May 26, 2000:   Lake Worth, FL
13 year old male seventh grade student arrested for shooting and killing a 35 year old male English teacher at a middle school.

July 23, 2000:  Glendale, CA
The bodies of two males, ages 13 and 14, were found beaten to death on an elementary school playground.  A 15 year old male was later arrested in connection with the murders.

July 26, 2000:  Canton, OH
17 year old male was shot and killed in a parking lot on the west side of a high school while waiting for a friend to finish band practice.

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A sample of school-related shootings occurring nationwide in the 1999-2000 school year not resulting in death is listed below.  It should be noted that this is only a sample and does not include the many incidents involving firearms not used,  other weapons possession or use, hostage situations, etc.  List includes individuals shot but not killed and firearms discharged in schools, on school campuses and buses, at school-sponsored events, to and from school involving students, and as a clear result of school-related incidents/conflicts.

September 28, 1999:   Tampa, FL
10 year old fifth grade student shot in head outside of Tampa elementary school.

October 4, 1999:    Philadelphia, PA
Vice principal shot in leg while taking gun away from student.

October 11, 1999:    Las Vegas, NV
15 year old & 16 year old students shot outside of Clark County high school in alleged  gang-related incident.

October 21,1999:     Pacoima, CA
17 year old student shot outside of high school child care center at San Fernando High School.

November 3, 1999:    Boston, MA
17 year old shot outside Dorchester High School after conflict between two males.

November 17, 1999:    Dickinson, TX
15 year old student shot in face in high school restroom after gun discharged while students were showing it to others.

November 18, 1999:    Denver, CO
15 year old student allegedly shot himself outside of North High School and returned to a third floor classroom bleeding and seeking help.

December 6, 1999:   Fort Gibson, OK
13 year old middle school student wounded four classmates with gunshots from a 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

January 12, 2000:  Anchorage, AK
A 16 year old male pulled a gun and fired twice at another student, missing the student but hitting a school gym wall.

January 13, 2000:  Albuquerque, NM
Several students fired shots into a crowded school parking lot after a fight.  No one was injured.

January 21, 2000:  Asheville, NC
A bullet from a high-powered rifle hit the high school gym during a boys' basketball team practice.  No one was injured.  A 16 year old dropout from the school was arrested.

January 26, 2000:  Merced, CA
A 13 year old student fired a revolver twice at another student passing in a car in front of his school.  No one was injured.

January 26, 2000:  Omaha, NE
Two high school females were grazed by gunfire while waiting for a bus in front of their school.

February 10, 2000:   Yeadon, PA
A junior high student attempted to shoot his principal and a teacher following a fight with another student, pulling the trigger twice as the gun was pointed at the principal's head and then once when pointed at the teacher.  The gun failed to discharge both times.

February 14, 2000:  Chicago, IL
11 year old student suffered a minor gunshot would when a bullet passed through a wall of his elementary classroom as another 11 year old student was playing with a gun in a nearby restroom.

February 24, 2000:  Tecumseh, OK
Shots were fired at a truck by a 19 year old male following an apparent fight over a girl with a 17 year old male teen in the high school parking lot.

February 28, 2000:  Austin, IN
An adult male shot his estranged wife with a shotgun outside their child's elementary school as the woman dropped off her daughter at the school.  The male then escaped to a liquor store where he took the manager hostage.  Both the suspect and manager were found dead by police after a period without contact during hostage negotiations.

April 4, 2000:  Lancaster, S.C.
A 16 year old high school student was shot in the neck in a school parking lot after leaving a districtwide elementary school chorus concert.

April 5, 2000:  Memphis, TN
An 11th grade high school student was shot twice in his left side during an ambush attack two blocks away after leaving his school.

April 6, 2000:  Hugo, OK
A 33 year old mother fired a single gunshot at another 35 year old mother attending an elementary school track meet at a stadium filled with around 500 elementary students and parents, wounding a third woman who was several feet away from about 25 second-graders.

April 10, 2000:   Tucson, AZ
A 35 year old sixth grade middle school teacher confessed to authorities that she shot herself in the shoulder while in her classroom about 90 minutes prior to the beginning of classes. The teacher first claimed that she was shot by a young man around 19 years old, but later acknowledged that she shot herself and also that she had been sending herself threatening letters.

April 11, 2000:  Daly City, CA
A 14 year old eighth grade student staggered onto his middle school's playground (near a physical education class) with a gunshot wound in his chest and a gun in his hand.

April 26, 2000:  San Francisco, CA
Three shots were fired around 10am outside an elementary school and three men with guns were seen running through the school yard.  No students were injured.

April 27, 2000:  New Philadelphia, OH
A 16 year old high school student was arrested for firing a pellet gun at teachers leaving New Philadelphia High School.  No one was injured.

May 4, 2000:  Denver, CO
A 16 year old student took a handgun to his high school and shot himself in the abdomen while in his car in the school parking lot in an apparent suicide attempt.

May 4, 2000:  Canoga Park, CA
A 19 year old and a 20 year old were shot while playing on a high school handball court in a suspected race-related shooting on the campus at approximately 6:15pm.

May 11, 2000:  Prairie Grove, AR
A police officer and a 12 year old seventh grade junior high school student exchanged gunfire and were both shot after the officer encountered the student armed with a shotgun and enroute back to the school from a field about a mile from the school.

May 17, 2000:   San Antonio, TX
Two 12 year old male middle school students were arrested at a home while packing up weapons to be used to shoot school other students they were involved with in a conflict. One male pointed a .22-caliber rifle at the arresting officer and the other was found with a .25 caliber handgun pointed at his own head.  Both were arrested.

May 18, 2000:  San Bruno, CA
Police arrested a male teenage high school student who had threatened five other students near his high school with a gun earlier in the week.  The arrest was made after a search warrant was served on his home and eight handguns, one 12-gauge shotgun, two AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, two hunting rifles, one AK-47 rifle, a large quantity of ammunition, throwing knives, and "close-quarter impact weapons" were found.

May 19, 2000:  DeKalb County, GA
A high school student who was skipping school with several classmates was injured when he was accidentally shot in the foot while in a wooded area near the school.

June 2, 2000:   Buffalo, NY
Police arrested a 17 year old male for shooting a Buffalo school bus aide in the ankle as the aide was helping elementary school children off of a school bus at a corner bus stop. The suspect had allegedly fired multiple shots down a street at someone who had fired a round at him nine days earlier in a drive-by shooting.

June 5, 2000:  Lancaster, PA
Approximately 50 second and third grade students were pulled off of their school playground by teachers only moments before around 12 gunshots were exchanged just yards away from the playground fence where teachers had observed a large group of people congregating.  No one was injured.

July 14, 2000:  New York City, NY
Four people were shot, including two students, when a gunman opened fire on a crowd approximately one-half block from a Bronx high school during the summer school dismissal. A police officer assigned to the school, along with an off-duty and on-duty police officer, apprehended the suspect who was in possession of a loaded .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun.  Initial reports indicate that the incident may have been gang-related.