Chardon High School Shooting Affects More than Victims

On Monday, 27 February, at about 7:30 a.m., bullets sprayed inside the cafeteria of Chardon High School on the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio. When the gunfire ended, one student was dead and several others were severely injured. Two students injured in the shooting died on Wednesday in the hospital.

The shooter, T.J. Lane, a 17-year-old senior, was caught about a half a mile from the school when two teachers chased him down.

Nate Mueller, a junior at Chardon, witnessed the shooting of his friend Russell King Jr.

“He was over the table in a pool of blood,” Mueller said.  “[Another pal] was on the floor in a puddle of blood next to him.”

Mueller dropped on the floor and was trying to crawl away when a shot rang out and he felt a bullet graze his ear. He was not seriously injured .

Daniel Parmertor was the only student who died on the scene.

“We are shocked by this senseless tragedy. Danny was a bright, young boy who had a bright future ahead of him. The family is torn by this loss. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time,” his family said to the press.

Fleetwood police released the following statement regarding what happened at Chardon and how they hope to prevent something like the Chardon High School shooting in local districts: “It is truly tragic that the world will never share in the potential contributions that the students who tragically lost their lives that day may have made to society. It is vitally important that if you hear someone discussing potential acts of violence against another person or the institution of the school itself you take that information to your parents, school faculty or the police. It is not ‘snitching’, ‘ratting out’ or being a ‘tattletale’ to avert a potential tragedy.”

The U.S. Secret Service completed a study on school-related shootings and found one common factor regarding the assailants. None of them suddenly lashed out in an emotional rage over an issue. All of the assailants took some time to plan their attacks, and all of them told someone about their plans well beforehand.

“If you hear anyone threatening acts of violence against someone or against the school, tell someone immediately because often times tragedy is averted this way,” DeAntonio said.