January 13, 200620 yr LONGWOOD, Fla. - A suicidal eighth grader who pulled a handgun in class and briefly took another child hostage was shot by a SWAT team member Friday when he later threatened deputies, Seminole County officials said Sheriff Don Eslinger said the 15-year-old boy brought the gun to Milwee Middle School in his backpack and briefly took a fellow student hostage during a classroom scuffle. The student then ran from the classroom and was pursued by deputies into a restroom and isolated there, Eslinger said. The school was evacuated, and no one else was injured. Officials with the sheriff's office said they had not confirmed whether the gun the boy had was real or a toy. "At one time he held the gun to his neck. As the deputies attempted to establish dialogue, he raised the firearm and lethal force was used by the sheriff's office," Eslinger said. The boy was taken to the hospital. His condition was unknown. "He was suicidal," Eslinger said. "During this standoff, and during the chase, the student said he was going to kill himself or die." Classes were canceled for the rest of the day, and frantic parents arrived to pick up their children. "When I saw the news, I just couldn't believe this was my daughter's school. I came right away," said Anil Santos, whose daughter, Aleister, is in eighth grade. Sarah Tivy, a seventh grader, said some students were frightened, but she appeared calm. "I just figured that if someone is going to bring a gun to school, then they need to be taken out of school," the 12-year-old said. I know there is going to be outrage that the police shot this troubled young man especially if it turns out to be a toy gun but i got to say.....Good job Longwood Police....noone but the perp was hurt.
January 13, 200620 yr I live by Longwood FL. Turns out that the boy had taken a pellet gun to school. Pellet guns have the pink tip, the tip was painted black. The student is on advanced life support. Central FL has been in the national news too much this week.
January 14, 200620 yr OK, now it was against the law for an 8th grader to own a gun, and against the law for him to bring it to school, and he probably broke a whole host of other laws while he was at it. What do you want to bet that this brings forth a renewed call for more gun control legislation?
January 14, 200620 yr QUOTE(3 BeWareTheNewSox 5 @ Jan 14, 2006 -> 04:38 PM) The kid died Here comes the lawsuits and claims of excessive force.
January 15, 200620 yr QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jan 14, 2006 -> 04:40 PM) Here comes the lawsuits and claims of excessive force. Not that they're going to go anywhere. You point a gun at a swat cop and you're gonna get dropped. That cop doesn't have but a split second to decide if that gun is a toy or real and thats not enough. He's going to pull the trigger every time. This is a clear case of suicide by cop.
January 15, 200620 yr now what exactly is a 15 year old doing in middle school? or is middle school the name of highschool in flordia or smthin?
January 15, 200620 yr QUOTE(Shingotime!! @ Jan 14, 2006 -> 07:45 PM) now what exactly is a 15 year old doing in middle school? or is middle school the name of highschool in flordia or smthin? Thats what i was thinking too.
January 15, 200620 yr A cop isn't going to let a kid point a gun at him. The cop did what he had to do.
January 15, 200620 yr QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Jan 14, 2006 -> 11:18 PM) A cop isn't going to let a kid point a gun at him. The cop did what he had to do. Yeah the kid went out with a bang.
January 15, 200620 yr The parents are saying that they warned the police it was most likely a fake gun. Well in that case....
January 15, 200620 yr QUOTE(HighHeat45 @ Jan 14, 2006 -> 11:36 PM) The parents are saying that they warned the police it was most likely a fake gun. Well in that case.... unfortunately the kids parents didn't pay him enough attention to notice he most likely had some emotional problems. This is a horrible story, but the officer did what he had to do.
January 16, 200620 yr QUOTE(Shingotime!! @ Jan 14, 2006 -> 07:45 PM) now what exactly is a 15 year old doing in middle school? or is middle school the name of highschool in flordia or smthin? IIRC, Middle School is for 7th to 9th graders down there.
January 16, 200620 yr chuck norris would have just round house kicked him.... where were you chuck...when we needed you?!?!
January 16, 200620 yr QUOTE(Steff @ Jan 16, 2006 -> 08:11 AM) IIRC, Middle School is for 7th to 9th graders down there. I was a junior in high school when I was 15. Of course I started kindergarten when I was 4... This kid had to have repeated at least one grade and possibly two. Edited January 16, 200620 yr by Iwritecode
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