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Motive probed in US school attack Motive probed in US school attack
(about 2 hours later)
Pennsylvania police are investigating why a gunman killed girls at a rural primary school which serves the Amish, a pacifist Christian community. Pennsylvania police are investigating why a gunman killed five girls at a rural primary school which serves the Amish, a pacifist Christian community.
A fifth girl died of her wounds on Tuesday morning and five others remain in hospital a day after the attack. Police say Charles Carl Roberts was heavily armed and equipped for a long siege at the Lancaster County school.
Charles Carl Roberts released women and boys before tying up the girls and shooting them. He then killed himself. But shortly after entering the school he forced the boys and four women out then tied up the girls and began shooting them, before killing himself.
The White House has said it plans to host a conference after what is the third fatal school attack in a week. Five girls were injured - one is in a serious condition and one is critical.
Pennsylvania authorities are examining suicide notes the 32-year-old gunman left for his three children. The White House has said it plans to host a conference on gun-related violence in schools after what is the third fatal US school attack in a week.
Roberts did not appear to be targeting the Amish and apparently chose the school because he was intent on killing young girls "in revenge for something that happened 20 years ago," said state police commissioner Jeffrey Miller. Stricter gun-control laws would not have prevented this gruesome act David ZimlinFlorida, US href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4075&start=0&edition=2&ttl=20061003115242" class="">Your Say: Gun access easy? href="/1/hi/in_pictures/5400616.stm" class="">In pictures: School attack Pennsylvania state police commissioner Jeffrey Miller said Roberts did not appear to be targeting the Amish and apparently chose the school because he was intent on killing young girls "in revenge for something that happened 20 years ago".
Police are also looking at whether the death of an infant daughter in 1997 may have played a role in the attack by the milk tanker driver, who was not Amish himself. Police are examining suicide notes that the 32-year-old left for his three children.
"This is a horrendous, horrific incident for the Amish community," Mr Miller said. They are also looking at whether the death of an infant daughter three years ago may have played a role in the attack by the milk tanker driver, who was not Amish himself.
'Execution style' Well equipped
The local man had entered the one-roomed school in the village of Paradise, armed with guns, knives and 600 rounds of ammunition. The gunman had called his wife during the siege to tell her he was taking revenge for an old grudge, Mr Miller said.
Stricter gun-control laws would not have prevented this gruesome act David ZimlinFlorida, US href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4075&start=0&edition=2&ttl=20061003115242" class="">Your Say: Gun access easy? href="/1/hi/in_pictures/5400616.stm" class="">In pictures: School attack From the suicide notes to his children and phone calls he made, it was clear Roberts was "angry at life, he was angry at God," Mr Miller added.
He ordered the boys to leave, along with a pregnant woman and three others with infants. In a statement, the man's wife, Marie, described Roberts as a good and loving husband and father.
The attacker then tied up the girls, aged between six and 13, barricaded the doors and shot them in the head, "execution style". The local man had entered the one-roomed school in the village of Paradise, armed with guns, knives, and stun gun and 600 rounds of ammunition.
He also brought wood to barricade the doors, a hammer, saw, pliers, wire and tape, as well as toilet paper and a change of clothes.
"It is clear to us that he did a great deal of planning," Mr Miller said.
However, the hostage crisis quickly descended into a bloodbath as Roberts began shooting the girls, whom he had tied and lined up in front of the blackboard. He then turned the gun on himself.
"It appears that when he began shooting the victims, these victims were shot execution-style in the head," Mr Miller said.
Some "were shot in the head, some were shot in the arms," he added.
Request for prayer
By the time police stormed the building, three girls and the gunman were dead.By the time police stormed the building, three girls and the gunman were dead.
Two more girls died in hospital - a nine-year-old died at about 0100 (0500 GMT) and a seven-year-old died at about 0430 (0830 GMT).Two more girls died in hospital - a nine-year-old died at about 0100 (0500 GMT) and a seven-year-old died at about 0430 (0830 GMT).
One other girl remained in critical condition and another four were described as stable, state police said. A six-year-old remains in a critical condition and a 13-year-old is described as being in a serious condition, though she has been able to use non-verbal communication, such as eye movement, to speak to her doctors and family.
Police spokeswoman Linette Quinn said the two girls who died overnight had suffered "very severe injuries, but the other ones are coming along very well". FACTS ABOUT THE AMISH Anabaptist Christian denominationCommunities in the US and CanadaMany communities reject links to outside worldMost Amish shun modern technology including electricity and carsPlain clothing - no buttons allowed in some communitiesSpeak English and a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch href="/1/hi/world/americas/5400904.stm" class="">Who are the Amish? The families of the victims have appealed for privacy and for people everywhere to pray for them.
The gunman had called his wife during the siege to tell her he was taking revenge for an old grudge, Mr Miller said.
From the suicide notes to his children and phone calls he made, it was clear Roberts was "angry at life, he was angry at God," Mr Miller said.
In a statement, the man's wife Marie described Roberts as a good and loving husband and father.
Amish families gathered in a farmhouse near the school to share their grief.
The Amish are the Anabaptist Christian descendants of German settlers who reject many types of modern technology in their effort to lead a life true to holy scriptures.The Amish are the Anabaptist Christian descendants of German settlers who reject many types of modern technology in their effort to lead a life true to holy scriptures.
They restrict the use of cars, telephones and television to varying degrees.They restrict the use of cars, telephones and television to varying degrees.
FACTS ABOUT THE AMISH Anabaptist Christian denominationCommunities in the US and CanadaMany communities reject links to outside worldMost Amish shun modern technology including electricity and carsPlain clothing - no buttons allowed in some communitiesSpeak English and a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch href="/1/hi/world/americas/5400904.stm" class="">Who are the Amish? The attack on their isolated community comes at the end of a week of gun-related violence in US schools.
The attack on their isolated community in Lancaster County comes at the end of a week of gun-related violence in US schools.
Last Wednesday a 16-year-old girl died when an armed man, who also killed himself, took six students hostage at a Colorado high school.Last Wednesday a 16-year-old girl died when an armed man, who also killed himself, took six students hostage at a Colorado high school.
And on Friday, a head teacher at a high school in Wisconsin was killed when he confronted an armed 15-year-old student as he entered the school.And on Friday, a head teacher at a high school in Wisconsin was killed when he confronted an armed 15-year-old student as he entered the school.