Boy Fires Gun in School Cafeteria and Flees

UPI
Tuesday, July 18, 2000

RENTON, Wash. ? A 13-year-old other students said had talked about killing a
teacher fired a shot inside the cafeteria of a Seattle-area middle school where
summer school classes were in session. No injuries were reported.

King County authorities said the youth, described as being dressed in black and
having blonde hair with purple-dyed tips, fled Dimmit Middle School in the
community of Skyway before sheriff’s deputies arrived. He was still at large Monday
afternoon.

A SWAT team was called in as sheriff’s deputies searched the surrounding
neighborhood.

Students said the boy frequently talked about wanting to kill a particular teacher, the
Associated Press reported.

“He wanted to kill all the teachers, but he only wanted to kill a few students,” said
Cylas Sampson, 13.

“He said, `You don’t have to worry about school anymore. Today’s your last day of
school.’ “

A sheriff’s spokesman told KING television the youth apparently pulled a gun, fired a
single shot into the ceiling of the cafeteria and then ordered the several dozen
students in the room to the stage. But they fled for the exits instead. The sheriff’s
department issued an appeal to any children who went straight home to contact its
investigators.

A Renton School District officials told Seattle television stations that 135 to 200
students were attending classes at Dimmit during the summer session.

The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, was well known to the
other students and apparently was not considered to be a dangerous person.

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