This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24657401
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Colleen Ritzer killing: Mourning for Massachusetts teacher | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A candlelight vigil has been held for a Massachusetts maths teacher allegedly murdered by a 14-year-old student, with mystery surrounding a motive. | |
| Students and teachers in Danvers town remembered Colleen Ritzer, 24, as a supportive and enthusiastic teacher. | |
| Phillip Chism, who was charged as an adult on Wednesday, was a new student described as quiet. | |
| Prosecutors say an arrest was made based on statements by the suspect and evidence from school CCTV cameras. | Prosecutors say an arrest was made based on statements by the suspect and evidence from school CCTV cameras. |
| Ritzer's body was found in the woods behind the high school in a suburb of Boston. | Ritzer's body was found in the woods behind the high school in a suburb of Boston. |
| The Boston Globe cites an unnamed law enforcement official as saying the teacher had been stabbed and cut with a box cutter. | The Boston Globe cites an unnamed law enforcement official as saying the teacher had been stabbed and cut with a box cutter. |
| 'Amazing, beautiful daughter' | |
| Police have not publicly discussed a cause of death or any possible motive. | Police have not publicly discussed a cause of death or any possible motive. |
| Officials said Ritzer and the suspect knew each other from the school but did not elaborate. | Officials said Ritzer and the suspect knew each other from the school but did not elaborate. |
| On Wednesday evening the Boston Red Sox held a moment of silence for Ritzer before the first game of the World Series, America's professional baseball championship. | On Wednesday evening the Boston Red Sox held a moment of silence for Ritzer before the first game of the World Series, America's professional baseball championship. |
| Hundreds of people attended the vigil at the school's car park, wearing pink clothes or bows in tribute to Ritzer's favourite colour. | Hundreds of people attended the vigil at the school's car park, wearing pink clothes or bows in tribute to Ritzer's favourite colour. |
| "She supported all of us," Courtney Arnoldy, 18, who was Ritzer's student, said. "We should be there to support her." | "She supported all of us," Courtney Arnoldy, 18, who was Ritzer's student, said. "We should be there to support her." |
| Ritzer reportedly lived in her family home with her younger brother and sister, a high school senior. | Ritzer reportedly lived in her family home with her younger brother and sister, a high school senior. |
| Her family said they were mourning the death of their "amazing, beautiful daughter and sister". | Her family said they were mourning the death of their "amazing, beautiful daughter and sister". |
| "Everyone that knew and loved Colleen knew of her passion for teaching and how she mentored each and every one of her students," the family said in a statement. | "Everyone that knew and loved Colleen knew of her passion for teaching and how she mentored each and every one of her students," the family said in a statement. |
| 'Opposite of aggressive' | |
| Ritzer was said to be friendly towards the school's students, many of whom were not much younger than her. | |
| Her Twitter biography describes her as: "Math teacher often too excited about the topics I'm teaching". She used the account to set homework for students. | |
| Schools in Danvers were closed on Wednesday, and the high school was scheduled to reopen for two hours on Thursday for students to talk to counsellors and grief specialists. | Schools in Danvers were closed on Wednesday, and the high school was scheduled to reopen for two hours on Thursday for students to talk to counsellors and grief specialists. |
| The suspect's family and lawyer have not spoken to reporters. | |
| The accused had moved to Massachusetts from Tennessee before the start of the school year. | |
| He was said to be a star on the school soccer team. One of the players, Kyle Cahill, told the Associated Press news agency that the suspect's absence had been noted when he missed a team dinner on Tuesday night. | He was said to be a star on the school soccer team. One of the players, Kyle Cahill, told the Associated Press news agency that the suspect's absence had been noted when he missed a team dinner on Tuesday night. |
| "We're all just a family. It just amazes me really," said Kyle. "He wasn't violent at all. He was really the opposite of aggressive." | "We're all just a family. It just amazes me really," said Kyle. "He wasn't violent at all. He was really the opposite of aggressive." |
| Her death is the latest incident this week to send police scrambling to a US school: | |
| A Gallup poll released on Wednesday suggested that 25% of US parents are concerned about their children being harmed while at school, making it one of their top crime concerns. | A Gallup poll released on Wednesday suggested that 25% of US parents are concerned about their children being harmed while at school, making it one of their top crime concerns. |