Spencer shot and killed Wragg as he and teacher Daryl Barnes tried to help children. Along with her father, Miss Spencer was an avid hunter. It was her first teaching job in California. ________________________________________________________________, WATCH MORE: 5 hacks to get you through a power outage. I think back to last year, when 10 people died at a supermarket about 45 minutes away from my house the King Soopers store shooting in Boulder. I heard what felt like endless rounds of gunshots going off and screams and cries for help. She and five other teachers saw and survived the shooting, helping students as young as six run from the bullets. Before there was Parkland or even Columbine, there was Cleveland Elementary School.But for many, the name of the Stockton, California school is unfamiliar. Greg Abbott says more than a dozen people were killed in a shooting Tuesday at an elementary school. I was in a classroom nearby with my sister. One of Sweeneys classmates died. Part of HuffPost Wellness. BRENDA Spencer, the "I Don't Like Mondays" school shooter, has been caged for 40 years since killing two people and wounding nine - aged just 16. According to Cleveland School Remembers, Purdy had walked onto the campus around noon on Jan. 17, 1989. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. A policeman on the scene, Sgt. CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Shots were fired at a home across campus from a Cleveland County elementary school on Thursday morning. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I wanted a manual to walk through suffering, but also didnt want anyone telling me what to do or how to feel or heal. They targeted those who believed in God and told us all we were going to die. (LogOut/ No one at my school was killed. It was a dark moment in history, remembered for its impact on the community and the lives of five students, none above 10 years old, that were taken by a gunman. Spencer later became infamous for her quote, "I don't like Mondays," which inspired the song of the same name by The Boomtown Rats. On January 17, 1989, almost ten years after the events at San Diego's Grover Cleveland Elementary, there was anothershooting at a school coincidentally named Grover Cleveland Elementary, this one in Stockton,California. Two more of my students were wounded by bullets and shrapnel, and all of them were seared by what they witnessed. Sweeney, 46, is now a chief human resources officer. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Family members of victims killed in the Uvalde school shooting confronted Texas' police chief Tuesday in an emotional end to a day . I identify deeply with the staff at Robb Elementary. For her part, Brenda Spencer says she does believe, because of the news coverage of her shooting, that others may have taken her mistake and made their own. I suffered two gunshot wounds: one to the back of the neck, the other to the left shoulder, which traveled through my chest cavity, hitting my spine and leaving me paralyzed. Eight children and a police officer were injured. Shana Sweeney was 14 when a student from a nearby school fired shots at a classmate, who the shooter believed had used racial slurs against friends at the school. And I think about Uvaldes teachers. 5. L'cole Cleveland Elementary is committed to developing an environment where all members of the community help to create a positive school culture. It forces me to remember the physical trauma I experienced and the paralyzing fear of my potential death. But on the other hand, I take every opportunity I can to travel or do something I love. Now, state leaders are appealing the ruling. Later, during tests while she was in custody, it was discovered Spencer had an injury to the temporallobe of her brain. He was armed. Killed were Cleveland Grammar School's principal and a custodian. Police SWAT team members arrested her following a 6-1/2 hour siege at the home she shared with her divorced father. A petition filed Wednesday in Juvenile Court by the district attorneys office accuses 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer of the shootings that also left a police officer wounded. Its crazy to think that I was incapable of dining in at a restaurant a few years ago given that I now work as a hostess in one. Wragg was hit when he went to the aid of a wounded 9-year-old girl, Suchar as he tried to help the fallen principal and Officer Robert Robb was shot through the neck while dragging wounded children to safety. Prom went on as planned on May 14, senior farewell and graduation all commenced without skipping a beat as if four students werent just shot on school grounds. He fired more than 100 rounds in a minute before he ultimately shot himself. The students who survived had their childhoods stolen that day, too: The lives of those children, who were already as familiar with active shooter drills as they were with math homework, were irrevocably changed. We shouldnt have to live like this. Even though our incident was over 33 years ago, when something like this happens, the images from that day always revisit me. Although she was 16 at the time of the murders, Brenda was tried as an adult, convicted, and given a 25-to-life prison sentence. The shooter - identified . It destroyed my collegiate athlete dreams. Officers got to the scene and checked on the children and staff at Noble Elementary, Mecklenburg said. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. By the end of 1979 a song by Bob Geldof for his band Boomtown Rats called I Dont Like Mondays was number one across America and Britain. For her part, Brenda . Today, 25 years laterand one year after the . When 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer opened fire on Cleveland Elementary School in the San Diego bedroom community of San Carlos, the incident marked the first high profile mass school shooting in the United States. On April 18, 2022, a man entered the school parking lot and fatally stabbed 15-year-old freshman Alycia Reynaga in front of classrooms full of students. Every time I hear about another mass shooting, these thoughts tend to come back. This year, Channel 4 reported that the stars have reached a financial settlement out of court, and Fingers' musical contribution to the song has been recognised. NY Times Opinion, Cleveland School Remembers Participates in the Youth Leadership Academy, Outreach activities which engage children and families in conversations about neighborhood violence (Healthy Kids Day, Earth Day, and other events (city-wide), Being vocal about legislation for Common Sense Gun Laws and Social Justice within California and throughout the nation. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety, but also in terms of outdated cultural depictions and social values. I am torn up at the idea that victims of school shootings like me are now faced with the possibility of becoming parents of victims of school shootings. The source code for the WIKI 2 extension is being checked by specialists of the Mozilla Foundation, Google, and Apple. On January 29, 1979, Spencer posted herself by a window in her home and began randomly shooting at Grover Cleveland Elementary School across the street. By the end of 1979 a song by Bob Geldof for his band Boomtown Rats called "I Don't Like Mondays" was number one across America and Britain. If you liked this article, please share it! This livens up the day. Asked if she had any particular targets, she said, No one in particular. Osborne, who also shot and . The principal and a custodian were killed; eight children and police officer Robert Robb were injured. [5][7] Police officers found beer and whiskey bottles cluttered around the house but said Spencer did not appear to be intoxicated when arrested. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Christy Buell and Monica Selvig, both 9, were in satisfactory condition after transfer from intensive care and Mary Clark, 8, was in satisfactory condition with a wound in the abdomen. Texas Gov. According to the San Diego Police Museum, Spencer took an early liking to guns and to stories about violence. The shooter was 24-year-old Patrick Purdy, often described as a drifter. I definitely still have my days where Im reminded by everything. They quoted her father as saying she had 500 to 600 rounds of ammunition. I think it is hard to get closure especially with something like this that was so tragic and so easily preventable. Since Columbine in 1999, more than 311,000 students have experienced some form of gun violence at school. In the wake of the Texas shooting, I find myself consumed with grief. By MICHAEL GRANBERRY. So I had to talk to my twins, starting at the age of 5, about the reality of school shootings. She started her shooting rampage from her bedroom window, randomly aiming her gun at kids who were waiting to enter the playground. First, he set his car on fire behind the school. I dont know and the Robb teachers may not know yet if theyll ever go back to their library. I cannot go out to breakfast with my parents without hypervigilance setting in. When you have a classmate shot and killed at school, you cant leave the experience without the belief that safety is an illusion. I saw what I thought was blood as well as yellow tape. Cleveland Elementary School Unclaimed. In public spaces, I usually position myself to where I can have a wide vantage point. Hearing people scream or run in the halls makes my blood run cold. [13] She injured eight children; she began with nine-year-old Cam Miller, since he was wearing Spencer's favorite color blue. It will enhance any encyclopedic page you visit with the magic of the WIKI 2 technology. Acknowledging my progress encourages me everyday. Cleveland is a Scent Aware Building. It will be a long while before the families feel safe anywhere. Required fields are marked *. In the petition, Deputy District Attorney Charles L Patrick requested that Miss Spencer, who police say has a history of petty theft and drug abuse, be tried as an adult. STOCKTON, Calif. Tuesday marks 34 years since the Cleveland Elementary School shooting happened in Stockton on Jan. 17, 1989. I spent years of my life fearful of leaving my house. Among the injured were a police officer and eight schoolchildren, two of whom were wounded critically. Spencer blazed away with rifle shots from her . At first, I was incapable of being in public, especially in large crowds. Today, Rodgers is a part-time seamstress, librarian and mother of two. ClickAmericana.com is made with and by Synchronista LLC 2011-2022. The shooter used a semi-automatic weapon. The decision carries a 30-day stay, giving the state the opportunity to appeal -- meaning the ban is still in effect, for now. On January 17, 1989, an armed gunman with an AK-47 assault rifle, killed five young students and wounded 30 more (including one teacher) at the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, CA. The girls mother, who was said to be divorced from Spencer, was also at the scene briefly but later left, police said. NEW! SAN DIEGO Tuesday will mark 40 years since San Diego's first-ever school shooting, which took place at Cleveland Elementary school. Because we are unable to change what has happened to us, we must instead choose our response and it takes intentionality. The other victim who was killed is Dominic Blackwell. The gunman walked onto the elementary school campus, opening fire with a semi-automatic weapon. Because this time, I am a mother of an 8-year-old. Both father and daughter slept on a single mattress on the living room floor in a house strewn with empty bottles from alcoholic drinks. A man and two students at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton on Jan. 17, 1989, after a gunman killed five children and injured 30 others before turning the gun on himself. The parole board chairman said that as she had not previously told anyone about the allegations, he doubted whether they were true. Who is Brenda Ann Spencer, is she being released from prison and which Bob Geldof song did she inspire? "It was the perfect senseless act and this was the perfect senseless reason for doing it. High school football player William Tipper Thomas was 17 when a fellow student got into a fight with some of his teammates in the parking lot and outside the steps of the school. I was thankful I lived, but also wished I had died because the pain was overwhelming and the grief was suffocating. June 10, 2021 / 8:42 PM Her Dad, Wallace Spencer, gave her a semi-automatic .22 calibre rifle for Christmas in 1978. It terrifies me. This addition included seven classrooms. The man was taken into custody without incident. I am finally capable of enjoying experiences that life has to offer. Fourteen-year-old Jesse Osborne shot three students and a teacher, critically wounding six-year-old student Jacob Hall, who died from his injuries three days later. The singer had been doing a radio interview, when the news was wired through. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The gunman, Patrick Purdy, who had an extended criminal history, shot and killed five schoolchildren and wounded 32 others. The petition also alleges special circumstances, which means that if she is tried as an adult and convicted of murder, she could be sentenced to life in state prison without parole. San Diego A freckle-faced teenage girl has been charged with 12 criminal counts including murder in connection with a sniper attack in the parking lot of Cleveland Elementary School that killed the principal and head custodian and wounded eight pupils. Spencer, a junior at Patrick Henry High School, was described as a pretty good shot by officers on the scene. Despite being a teenager, she was tried as an adult, because of the seriousness of her crime. Her 20-minute shooting spree claimed the lives of the school's principal, Burton Wragg, 53, who was struck while trying to help wounded kids, and caretaker Mike Suchar, 56, who attempted to rescue his boss. [31], The 1982 JapaneseAmerican documentary film TheKillingofAmerica depicts the incident. The only place I feel truly safe is my home and my PTSD makes it difficult to go places as common as the grocery store. A 16-year-old girl, Brenda Spencer, who lived in a house across the street from the school, was convicted of the shootings. (LogOut/ Julie Schardt || Cleveland Elementary School shooting in Stockton, California, on Jan. 17, 1989. In the end, the 16 year old shooter killed two and injured 8 children, and a police officer. He's been in Law Enforcement for 17 years. In the Robb Elementary School shooting, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos open fire and killed 19 fellow students and 2 teachers, wounding many other individuals, including his . "It wasn't an attempt to exploit tragedy.". California Assembly members had met after the shooting to respond to the incident, and they passed the Assault Weapons Control Act, which was the first legislative restriction on assault weapons in the nation and served as a model for a similar federal statute in 1994. Twenty-nine were students and one was a teacher. California needs a reset in this regard.". I remain hopeful through all this that at some point we will do something, but it has to be soon and it will take everyone who cares about children, about the common good, about the possibility of a better day to make it happen. Julie Schardt, Crystal Woodman Miller was a 16-year-old junior at Columbine High School when two classmates killed 12 students and one teacher, also wounding around 23 others, before killing themselves. Although I know what they need most right now is each other and not necessarily outsiders, I cant help but identify powerfully and pragmatically with what will unfold in that school community over the next few years. Cindy Clement Carlson. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [3], Brenda Ann Spencer (born April 3, 1962) is an incarcerated American murderer who in 1979 committed a school shooting at the Grover Cleveland Elementary School in the SanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrict in the SanCarlos neighborhood of SanDiego, California. Cleveland Elementary School shooting (San Diego), This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 15:06, ClevelandElementarySchoolshooting(Stockton), "SchoolSniperSuspectBraggedOf'SomethingBigToGetOnTV', "Lookbackinsorrow:in1979,ateenagegirlopenedfireonasuburbanSanDiegoelementaryschool;today,asthenationreelsfromarashofsimilartragedies,thesurvivorsstillstruggletounderstandwhyithappened", "GirlSniperKills2,Wounds9atSanDiegoSchool", "ClassmatesSayAllegedSniperSeemedLonely,FriendlessGirl", "40yearsago,BrendaSpencertooklives,changedlivesinamassshootingataSanDiegoelementaryschool", "SchoolShooterBrendaSpencerDeniedParole", "Schoolrifleattacknets25yearstolife", "Noparolegrantedfor'Idon'tlikeMondays'schoolshooter", "Shedidn'tlikeMondays,theydon'twantplaquemoved", "Tragicpast,uncertainpresent,brightfutureofClevelandElementary", "VictimsofSanDiegoSchoolShootingAreForcedtoCopeAgain10YearsLater", "WatchDeadlyCompulsionFullEpisode-KillerKids|Lifetime", "KillerKids-Season3Episode19DeadlyCompulsion", "DeadlyWomen|Season2Episode1ThrillKills", "40YearsAgo,BrendaSpencerTookLivesAtElementarySchool", "1993:ConvictedschoolshooterBrendaSpencerspeakswithSanDiego'sNews8-PART1", "1993:ConvictedschoolshooterBrendaSpencerspeakswithSanDiego'sNews8-PART2", "1993:ConvictedschoolshooterBrendaSpencerspeakswithSanDiego'sNews8-PART3", "1993:ConvictedschoolshooterBrendaSpencerspeakswithSanDiego'sNews8-PART4", MurderHistorian-IDon'tLikeMondaysBlog, UniversityofNorthCarolinaatCharlotte, LibertyPointInternationalMiddleSchool, CentralVisualandPerformingArtsHighSchool, "'NoWaytoPreventThis',SaysOnlyNationWhereThisRegularlyHappens", ListofschoolshootingsintheUnitedStatesbydeathtoll, Students and faculty at Grover Cleveland Elementary School.
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