Tragedy Again at a Seattle High School

Update:

The student killed was Amarr Murphy Paine. 

From Facebook via Curtis Wells, Jr. :

Yesterday was one of the saddest days serving kids. Amarr would say to me every day. “ love you coach”. Yesterday at lunch time he came to my class asking for some Cup of Noodles. I told him how proud I was of how well he was playing in spring ball. We laugh & joke. He was happy about the fall season. 15-20 minutes later. I rushed to his side holding his hand telling him to breath, come back, your tough, hang in there, and hold on. I cried all day and I hug my players and other students. I told them I loved them. I should not be going to these kids funeral. They should be going to mine. God help our kids, show me what to do, tell me what to do, Lord comfort the Murphy Paine family. Don’t let Amarr death be in vain. Lord we need you, I need you, my coaches need you, my players need you, Garfield needs you, 💜💜💜💜💜💜Amarr I love you too

I saw the entire photo of the shooter standing over Amarr and it is chilling. I hope this young man turns himself in. 

End of update

Who is this shooter? And where did he get that gun?

 Update:

The Mayor weighed in. So did the Governor. Finally Seattle Schools Superintendent Brent Jones speaks up. It’s pretty much a nothing burger.  Still nothing from School Board President Liza Rankin. Also, nothing via Twitter.

End of update

A 17 year-old male Garfield High School was killed when he was shot while breaking up a fight (or it was the aftermath of the fight and the shooter didn’t appreciate his efforts - not clear from the news stories.) The school went into immediate lockdown and apparently parents came quickly to check on their student. 

Thus far, neither the district nor the Superintendent have issued any statement.

What a sadness for a school coming up on its high school graduation.

Two major news outlets and their stories:

Seattle Times

KUOW

Both of these news stories have parents quotes about leaving GHS (unclear whether parents meant just the school or the district). Seems some parents of seniors are allowing their child to graduate but not to return for the rest of the school year. 

Via KUOW

The shooting took place in the parking lot in front of the Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center on the school campus, in Seattle's historic Central District.

Harborview Medical Center announced the boy's death six hours after the shooting.

An image of the shooter standing over the victim, who is on the ground, trying to get away, was circulated to police in an attempt to identify the suspect, who remained at large Thursday evening.

Christle Young told KUOW that her son, a freshman, would not return to Garfield again.

“We're transferring. This is his last day at Garfield," Young said.

"I already talked to my wife and we are already calling other schools today," she said. "We moved here from New Orleans to have him in a safer environment and give him a better life. So I'm just going to do what I can to protect him."

Young was waiting outside the school at the time of the shooting. She was there to drop something off for her son. That’s when she heard gunshots and saw “like 40 or 50” students scattering.

"I'm a former police officer so I ran toward the gunshots,” she said.

Via The Times:

Garfield classes are canceled Friday and Monday. Support and wellness staff members will be available Friday for drop-in counseling at Nova High School.

 

I’m really raw,” said Melanie Skinner as she waited for her daughter, a Garfield student, to come outside. “It’s become so normalized.”  

Serafina Alberoto, 16, and Meriyem Roba, 16, both Garfield sophomores, were buying lunch nearby when they said they saw seven Seattle police cruisers zoom toward the school.

At 12:32 p.m., Roba’s freshman brother called her and begged her not to walk back to the school.

“He said, ‘Don’t come, don’t come — the whole school is on lockdown,’ ” Roba said. “He was panicked.”

Roba and Alberoto said they feel numb as shootings have become so frequent around their school. From a perch on a patio outside the school, they pointed out the locations of recent shootings.

“We feel unsafe — imagine if that was one of us?” Roba said.

If any GHS parents have thoughts, please send them along.  

End of update

I am aware of the shooting at Garfield High School. I will be writing about it soon. 

I note at the SPS website they have taken down the notice that was there about gun safety day. 

Also, a tremendous fight at the Seattle Council PTSA meeting as they try to elect new officers (while possibly changing their rules for doing so on the fly). More to come on this story as well.

Meanwhile, please have a comforting thought for the family of the victims and all the students at GHS.