18 Killed in German School Shooting

[zonelistener]

When will this crap stop?

18 Killed in German School Shooting

By JOCHEN WIESIGEL
The Associated Press

ERFURT, Germany (April 26) - An expelled student opened fire inside a school Friday in eastern Germany in a shooting spree that claimed at least 18 lives and wounded at least six others, police said.

The 19-year-old former student, who was kicked out of school several weeks ago, was among those killed, who police said were mostly adults but included at least two children. Police commandos conducted a room-to-room search of the building, where at one point during the rampage students were trapped.

Police had initially said a second gunman was involved, but told a press conference later that could not be confirmed.

The shooting at the Johann Gutenberg Gymnasium recalled the April 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., which killed 12 students and a teacher. The two teen-age gunmen, both students at the school, committed suicide.

Witnesses said the gunman Friday was dressed all in black with a cap and gloves. During the shooting, a handwritten sign reading ''HILFE'' - Help - was pasted to a fourth-floor window and the face of a girl could be seen through a window.

Hundreds of students from grades five through 12 were in the school in the eastern city of Erfurt when the shooting began just before noon.

Among the dead were at least two teachers and a police officer who was among a group of policemen who charged into the building after a janitor called for help, police said.

Shocked and upset students who fled the shooting reported seeing a man dressed all in black roaming the hallways with a gun.

''I heard shooting and thought it was a joke,'' said 13-year-old Melanie Steinbrueck, chocking back tears. ''But then I saw a teacher dead in the hallway in front of Room 209 and a gunman in black carrying a weapon.''

''The guy was dressed all in black - gloves, cap, everything was black,'' said Juliane Blank, 13. ''He must have opened the door without being heard and forced his way into the classroom.''

''We ran out into the hallways. We just wanted to get out,'' she said.

Police said they received a call at 11:05 a.m. from the school janitor, who said someone was shooting in the building. An initial team of officers arrived on the scene shortly after and entered the school. One of those policemen was killed in the shooting.

A team of police commandos later went into the building to try to free students trapped inside.

Outside the school, a police officer with a megaphone urged parents to register their children's names before leaving the scene. Groups of dazed and shocked students huddled in the street, hugging and crying. Ambulances and police cars massed in front of the school.

Sixth-grader Martin Streng said he was in math class when he heard gunfire coming from a classroom down the hall. As he and other students filed into the hallway to flee the building, they saw a man with a gun down the corridor behind them, Streng said.

It was Germany's second school shooting in recent months. In February, a 22-year-old German who recently lost his job, shot and killed two former bosses and his old high school's principal in a rampage outside Munich.

AP-NY-04-26-02 1022EDT

[sulawesigirl4]

[foray]

I was deeply affected by Columbine... Now this... Sigh...

frayed

[Bonochick]

"Jesus...Jesus, help me...I'm alone in this world...and a fucked up world it is too..."

[dream wanderer]

That is horrible

dream wanderer

[zoomerang II]

[Salome]

it's all over the news over here
what a horrible thing to happen

------------------
Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

[tiny dancer]

Terrible tragedy. I guess no one is immune form this senseless act.

[The_Sweetest_Thing]

I can't understand why things like this happen. My prayers are with those families.

ST

[brettig]

shit

[The Wanderer]

why?

[Zooropa]

senseless violence. How long, to sing this song.

------------------
Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Zooropa FTP

[Clark W. Griswold, Jr]

Originally posted by zonelistener:
[B]When will this crap stop?

When people start saying "yes, it can happen in my community", and begin taking appropriate measures.

[Lilly]

The whole thing is so senselss. I am so angry that people see this as any type of out, cos it clearly isn't.

As a student, I am so pleased to be leaving high school when "armed intruder" drills have become regular practice and kids will refuse to sit "in the line of fire" (the door). This is not something my peers and I should be worried about. It's sick.

Originally posted by Lilly:
The whole thing is so senselss. I am so angry that people see this as any type of out, cos it clearly isn't.

As a student, I am so pleased to be leaving high school when "armed intruder" drills have become regular practice and kids will refuse to sit "in the line of fire" (the door). This is not something my peers and I should be worried about. It's sick.

Sadly just leaving school doesn't save anyone from it. These shootings also occur in offices, other workplaces and even stores and resturants. Crazy, disturbed people know know age limits. This is also proof that gun control is not the answer- if a person is crazy and wants to kill, he will get the gun, or some other weapon, like 9-11. The scariest thing is we never know who, when or where until we hear it on the news. I am very sorry for everyone hurt by the tragedy.

[nintendan]

Terrible tragedy.

Maybe if the school had an armoury then school security could have taken him out before he did so much damage.

[Popmartijn]

Originally posted by *Stormy*:
This is also proof that gun control is not the answer- if a person is crazy and wants to kill, he will get the gun, or some other weapon, like 9-11. The scariest thing is we never know who, when or where until we hear it on the news. I am very sorry for everyone hurt by the tragedy.

Or maybe this is proof that stricter gun control is necessary. That boy apparently had a license! He was a member of 2 shooting clubs (of which one was of the police). Ironically, later in the afternoon the German parliament approved a law for stricter gun control as Germany currently has more than 10 million legal guns. Stricter control may prevent tragedies like this, as it will be more difficult to get one.

Marty

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People criticize me but I know it's not the end
I try to kick the truth, not just to make friends

Spearhead - People In Tha Middle

[U2girl]

Originally posted by *Stormy*:
This is also proof that gun control is not the answer- if a person is crazy and wants to kill, he will get the gun, or some other weapon, like 9-11. The scariest thing is we never know who, when or where until we hear it on the news. I am very sorry for everyone hurt by the tragedy.

This is IMO (as the Columbine and other killing sprees around the world) exactly why there should be gun control.
Yes, we never know when or where it will happen, and it's true if someone wants a gun, chances are he will find a way to get it.

BUT i don't think it's ever a good idea to have loose/or no weapon control - in a state of peace in a country. What possible good can come out of legally allowing a teenager owning a weapon? Or some adult that will go nuts one day? Or take a chance (if the gun is in a family house) that little children might find it and accidentally shoot themselves or/and others? Or allowing some gang member to get access to it?
Also, by increasing the number of people that can access weapons easily, don't you by common sense increase the chances of killings?
The point of view "only bad people are dangerous with guns" just doesn't apply. Weapons are a threat by themselves, always.

At the very least governments should have strict(er) regulations about aquiring guns. Make sure those who apply for aquiring weapons weren't charged with some crime earlier, make really long birocratic procedures, special taxes on weapons, check for any mental problems they might have, reconsider if someone has drug problems and wants guns...

The answer lies in the family itself and the society. That's where it should start.

ps: How much more does it take before action is taken?
I saw some TV footage - so horrifiyng to see all those people crying and hugging...



[This message has been edited by U2girl (edited 04-27-2002).]

[zonelistener]

With the majority of the people killed in this incident, it goes to show that teachers are not paid enough. It is getting to the point that being a teacher is almost as dangerous of a job as a police officer.