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Gunman opens fire on New Mexico school critically injuring two students Student opens fire on New Mexico school critically injuring two
(about 4 hours later)
A gunman opened fire Tuesday morning at a middle school in the southeastern New Mexico city of Roswell, critically injuring at least two students before being taken into custody. A 12-year-old New Mexico boy drew a shotgun from a band-instrument case and shot and wounded two classmates at his middle school Tuesday morning before a teacher talked him into dropping the weapon and he was taken into custody, officials and witnesses said.
A 14-year-old boy was flown to University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, in critical condition, hospital spokeswoman Eric Finley said. Information from nurses treating the boy indicates he was the target of the shooter, she said. Governor Susana Martinez says a boy was critically injured and a girl was in serious condition following the shooting at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell.
A 13-year-old girl in critical condition might be en route as well, Finley said. The students were in the gym, where she said they typically hang out before classes start during cold and inclement weather. The 12-year-old pulled a shotgun and opened fire there at about 8 am.
The gunman opened fire at Berrendo Middle School as classes were starting for the day. A statement from the state police said authorities responded at 8:11 am. But he was "quickly stopped by one staff member who walked right up to him and asked him to set down the firearm, which he did," Martinez said.
Brooke Linthicum of Eastern New Mexico Regional Medical Center said two children were being treated following the shooting, but she had no information on the type or extent of their injuries. It's unclear if either of those victims was then transferred to Lubbock, or if the student being treated in Lubbock was a third victim. Officials at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, say an 11-year-old boy was flown there in critical condition and a 13-year-old girl was en route in serious condition. Information from nurses treating the boy indicates he was the shooter's target, hospital spokesman Eric Finley said. There was some confusion about the boy's age, but Finley said his parents told the hospital he is 11.
Lorena Beltran told the Albuquerque Journal her daughter, who attends the school, said a male student was shot in the face. Beltran said she first heard about the shooting after her daughter texted her. The governor says a staff member received very minor injuries but declined medical care because he wanted to stay and help.
Roswell police say the school was placed on lockdown, and the suspected shooter was arrested. Age and other details on the gunman were not immediately released. Odiee Carranza, an eighth grader at Berrendo, said she was walking to the school gym when the suspect bumped into her as he rushed past. She told him to be careful, and he apologized and continued on. The boy ran to the gym, where he pulled a gun out of a band instrument case and fired at the students.
Police said children were being be bused to a nearby mall, where parents could pick them up. "Then he shot up in the sky, then dropped the gun, and then some teacher grabbed the kid that had the gun," Carranza said.
Sixth-grade student Anyssa Vegara said she was talking to a security guard when she heard a shot. Carranza described the shooter as a "smart kid and a nice kid."
"I turned around, and all I saw was someone on the floor with their arm bleeding," Vegara told the Journal. A statement from the state police said authorities responded at 8:11 am. Roswell police say the school was placed on lockdown, and the suspected shooter was arrested. His name was not released.
She said the security guard ran to assist the injured student, and school officials ordered all the students to their classrooms. Police said children were bused to a nearby mall, where parents could pick up them up.
Eventually, she was able to text her mother, Monica Vegara. "I'm still scared to go back to school," Carranza said.
"From the time hearing about it until the time she texted, it was a nightmare," Vegara said. Another student, Gabby Vasquez, said the boy who was shot "was really nice, got along with everybody." Hospital officials said Tuesday afternoon that the 11-year-old had undergone surgery but was still in critical condition.
Fawna Hendricks, whose son is a seventh-grader at Berrendo Middle School, told the newspaper she heard about the shooting on the radio. "Basically I jumped out of bed, threw on clothes, panicked," Hendricks said. Employees who arrived early to work at United Drilling Inc, across the street from the school, heard no gunshots. They didn't know about the commotion until around 8 am, when their parking lot filled with police and rescue vehicles.
Employees who arrived early to work at United Drilling Inc heard no gunshots. They didn't know about the commotion just across the street at the school until around 8 am. when their parking lot filled with police and rescue vehicles. At the Roswell mall, parents waited anxiously for their children. Some held hands, while others hugged each other.
At the Roswell mall, parents waited anxiously for their children. Some held hands while others hugged each other. Two prayer services were scheduled for Tuesday night at Roswell's Calvary Baptist and First Baptist churches. Pastor Chris Mullennix said parents were worried and heartbroken, but there was a sense among many he spoke with that the community would be able to come together.
Roswell has a population of about 50,000. It is a center for ranching and farming and is home to the New Mexico Military Institute, the only state-supported military college in the West. The city is perhaps best-known as the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947. "This is something that strikes people to the core," he said in an interview. "We're not talking about a flesh wound or just a mental wound. We're talking about the very souls of people being shaken and rocked by something like this."
Mullennix said the prayer services will start the healing process.
"This is tragic but yet people in Roswell are tough, and people in Roswell will recover because we do have a sense of community, and I think that's really important," he said.
In the hours after the shooting, social media sites were flooded with sentiments offering prayers for the community. Some Berrendo students posted on their Facebook sites that they were frightened and didn't want to return to school.
At a briefing later in the day, White House press secretary Jay Carney said the president was aware of the shooting.
"Our understanding is this is not an active shooter situation," Carney said. "The president's team is monitoring the situation and is in close touch with our federal partners."
Roswell has a population of about 50,000. It is a center for ranching and farming, and is home to the New Mexico Military Institute, the only state-supported military college in the West. The city is perhaps best-known as the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947.
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