L'cole Cleveland Elementary is committed to developing an environment where all members of the community help to create a positive school culture. I spent years of my life fearful of leaving my house. I knew one girl who got shot through the leg and I knew one kid who got grazed with a bullet. Police found the man one hour later driving on Superior and Euclid avenues in East Cleveland. That shooting was in 1989. On January 29, 1979, Spencer posted herself by a window in her home and began randomly shooting at Grover Cleveland Elementary School across the street. She and five other teachers saw and survived the shooting, helping students as young as six run from the bullets. In the Robb Elementary School shooting, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos open fire and killed 19 fellow students and 2 teachers, wounding many other individuals, including his . Tuesday marks 34 years since the Cleveland Elementary School shooting happened in Stockton on Jan. 17, 1989. Robb was listed in stable condition at a local hospital. The Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 is considered to be an immediate result of the Stockton shooting. BRENDA Spencer, the "I Don't Like Mondays" school shooter, has been caged for 40 years since killing two people and wounding nine - aged just 16. (LogOut/ He has taken a huge step in the right direction and upheld his oath of office, by defending our fundamental rights set forth in our constitution. Thanks for visiting and for supporting a small business! Brenda Ann Spencer, fdd 3 april 1962 i San Diego i Kalifornien i USA, blev knd d hon mndagen den 29 januari r 1979 under en beskjutning mot Cleveland Elementary School i San Diego i Kalifornien ddade rektorn Burton Wragg och skolans vaktmstare Mike Suchar. With it being so close to home, it really hurt. Her 20-minute shooting spree claimed the lives of the school's principal, Burton Wragg, 53, who was struck while trying to help wounded kids, and caretaker Mike Suchar, 56, who attempted to rescue his boss. Now eligible for parole, is she being released from prison? Spencer, a San Diego State University employee, was at the scene and helped in trying to talk her into giving up. SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) Tuesday marked 40 years since a deadly shooting took place at Grover Cleveland Elementary School. Although it did not make the Top40 in the U.S., it still received extensive radio airplay (outside of the San Diego area) despite the Spencer family's efforts to prevent it. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "There's a part of us that does not let that go," said Judy Weldon. I use WIKI 2 every day and almost forgot how the original Wikipedia looks like. From 2005 to 2017, it housed the Magnolia Science Academy,[26] a public charter middleschool serving students in grades 68. The shocking incident marked the first high profile mass school shooting in the US. "They [the kids] looked like a herd of cows standing around; it was really easy pickings.". [5][7] Spencer later said, "I asked for a radio and got a rifle." Thomas, now 35, is senior principal systems engineer for the aerospace and defense industry. We shouldnt have to live like this. First, he set his car on fire behind the school. My heart races, I hyperventilate, I get chest pains, cry and constantly replay triggering memories in my head. 1 /10. She and others call the decision by Judge Roger Benitez to reverse the ban on assault weapons a deadly choice. On Monday, SWAT officer Mike Hendrickson said police were told Miss Spencer had in the past fantasized in the past about being a sniper. A San Diego police spokesman confirmed that Miss Spencer had a juvenile arrest record and was involved in an incident last year in which several windows were broken at Cleveland Elementary School the same place where Mondays shooting occurred. I wanted to cry, but I was tired of crying. My memories from that day are vivid: the looks on the other students faces as we sat in waiting, the shocked words I shared with another student next to me after the first flurry of shots, the sounds of the news reporters voices coming over the TV in the classroom we were trapped there for hours and turned the TV on and my teachers attempts to keep us calm while clearly being rattled herself. I had to learn how to live life navigating a wheelchair. This addition included seven classrooms. Robb was released from the hospital Wednesday with Charles Cam Miller, 9, who suffered a shoulder wound. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Read more crime stories on cleveland.com: Man who lost eye during Clevelands George Floyd protest sues deputy who shot him in the head with bean bag, Five hurt, one dead after Memorial Day block party shooting in Garfield Heights, Former Parma imam fraudulently obtained more than $80,000 in public-assistance benefits, feds say, Prosecutors seek death penalty against man accused of killing undercover Cleveland police detective, informant, Man shot to death at East Cleveland gas station, police say. I do not like being in the middle of large crowds. I shudder to think what would have happened on my campus if the shooter had brought an automatic rifle. There is still good reason for our second amendment. A man and two students at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton on Jan. 17, 1989, after a heavily armed gunman invaded the school yard and killed five children and injured 30 others before . Although I have made progress in my mental recovery, I dont think I will ever truly feel closure from the shooting. San Diego A freckle-faced teenage girl has been charged with 12 criminal counts including murder in connection with a sniper attack in the parking lot of Cleveland Elementary School that killed the principal and head custodian and wounded eight pupils. First responders found mass confusion at the scene and the devastation that was left. The principal and a custodian were killed; eight children and police officer Robert Robb were injured. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. In the wake of the Texas shooting, I find myself consumed with grief. According to Cleveland Heights Chief of Police Annette Mecklenburg, officers responded to a report of shots fired in the street on the north side of Noble Elementary School on Ardoon St. at. Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, also called Newtown shootings of 2012, mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012, that left 28 people dead and 2 injured. "I wrote that down. And it has stuck with them. I was in the library, where much of the violence took place. She told reporters who called that Mondays made her blue and that she started the shooting just for the fun of it. For her part, Brenda . Later on the news, I saw them giving chest compressions to one of the victims. Going to school became an everyday struggle. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. During negotiations between police and the girl, police spokesman Bill Robinson had described her as being under a lot of pressure. He added that he didnt know if the girl had any prior problems with authorities. On January 17, 1989, a 26-year-old man drove to Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, armed with an assault rifle and a 9mm Taurus semi-automatic handgun. Officers got to the scene and checked on the children and staff at Noble Elementary, Mecklenburg said. It was horrible. On April 18, 2022, a man entered the school parking lot and fatally stabbed 15-year-old freshman Alycia Reynaga in front of classrooms full of students. Since Columbine in 1999, more than 311,000 students have experienced some form of gun violence at school. When I hear about another mass shooting, it causes me to have visual flashbacks of my own experience. The Cleveland Elementary School shooting was a school shooting that took place on January 29, 1979, at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego, California, United States. By the end of 1979 a song by Bob Geldof for his band Boomtown Rats called "I Don't Like Mondays" was number one across America and Britain. In the petition, Deputy District Attorney Charles L Patrick requested that Miss Spencer, who police say has a history of petty theft and drug abuse, be tried as an adult. I definitely still have my days where Im reminded by everything. Today, Woodman Miller, 39, is a speaker and author of Marked for Life: Choosing Hope and Discovering Purpose After Earth-Shattering Tragedy.. The gunman, who had a long criminal history, shot and killed five schoolchildren, and wounded 29 other children and one teacher, before committing suicide. The Cleveland Elementary School shooting was a school shooting that took place on January 29, 1979, at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego, California, United States. Gracie and I werent close but when we did talk, she was such a sweetheart, just a genuine ray of sunshine. Investigators learned the ex-boyfriend drove away in a white SUV. The officer had commandeered a trash truck and was taking people out (to safety) when he got shot, Nashold later told a reporter. [14], After firing thirty-six times,[12] Spencer barricaded herself inside her home for several hours. 1. This article presents five school shooters from 1975 through 2007, classifies them within my typology, and compares them to the ten shooters discussed in Why Kids Kill. When officers entered the house after Miss Spencer surrendered. I teach them the importance of communicating where they are and where they are going so in case, God forbid, something happens, someone will know where to find them. In 2004, I was a graduating senior with collegiate athlete aspirations. STOCKTON, Calif. The Cleveland Elementary School shooting is also known as the Cleveland School massacre and the Stockton Schoolyard Shooting. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. All the shots were fired within 15 minutes starting at 8:40 a.m., just as students and teachers were entering the school for the start of the days classes, officers said. Published: Feb. 28, 2023 at 5:54 PM PST. Hearing arguments, a certain noise, or even smells can be extremely triggering for me and set me into panic mode. Part of HuffPost Wellness. The school was on lockdown briefly, but no children were hurt. She also told policenegotiators the children and adults whom she had shot were easy targets and that she was going to "come out shooting". News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Experiencing gun violence has greatly removed the sense of normalcy from my life. Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, at least 185 children, teachers and other people have lost their lives in campus shootings across the country, according to The Washington Post. Weve also had conversations about living your life with no regrets because you never know what might happen and always being kind to others because you dont know what they are dealing with. She started her shooting rampage from her bedroom window, randomly aiming her gun at kids who were waiting to enter the playground. I wanted to smile and laugh again, but I felt guilty to do so. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. By that definition, 72-year-old Hemet resident Huu Can Tran the man identified by authorities as the shooter would be the oldest person in recent history to carry out a mass shooting, and only the second in their 70s to carry out such an attack, according to the Violence Project. I wanted to see what they were saying on the news, but was also repulsed by watching the news. Later I learned that I knew five of the victims, including my coach for softball and basketball, Dave Sanders. [16] Crime-scene photos contradict these accounts. Pescaro is now 22 and works for the Carolina Hurricanes. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). There were a lot of beer and whisky bottles laying around., Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.) February 1, 1979. Higgins said. Log in, Background Checks Frequently Asked Questions, Guns, Politics, Legislation, and the Courts, States United to Prevent Gun Violence Blog, The countrys gun violence epidemic is killing more children than ever, A World Without School Shootings? Spared the death penalty because of her young age, she was instead sentenced to 25 years to life on April 4, 1980, when aged 18. . [5] A 28-year-old police officer, Robert Robb, had responded to a call for assistance during the incident, where he was wounded in the neck as he arrived. Today, Rodgers is a part-time seamstress, librarian and mother of two. [9], In early 1978, staff at a facility for problem students, into which Spencer had been referred for truancy, informed her parents that she was suicidal. In the end, the 16 year old shooter killed two and injured 8 children, and a police officer. "I believe we need to focus on actually enforcing laws against people who are a threat towards society, and stop infringing on the freedoms that our forefathers put in place for everyone else. It was her first teaching job in California. Two police helicopters circled overhead and Police Chief William Kolender and City Manager Ray Blair were at the scene. It was a dark moment in history, remembered for its impact on the community and the lives of five students, none above 10 years old, that were taken by a gunman. A True Crime Documentary On The Cleveland Elementary School Shooting Committed On January 29th 1979 By 16 year old Brenda Spencer.2 people were shot dead and. Now that you know, have fun looking around! It forces me to remember the physical trauma I experienced and the paralyzing fear of my potential death. Bienvenidos a nuestra escuela - estamos encantados de . AP/Julie Schardt. My eyes would always scan a classroom searching for the safest hiding spot in the scenario a shooting would happen again. The infamous 'I Don't Like Mondays' school shooter is up for parole 40 years after opening fire on Grover Cleveland Elementary in San Diego Debbie White Published : 17:03, 5 Apr 2019 I teach my godchildren and younger cousins to never be distracted in public, to always keep their head on a swivel and practice situational awareness. more than 311,000 students have experienced some form of gun violence at school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, former UNC student barged into a classroom, two students at her school, STEM School Highlands Ranch, opened fire, Granite High School opened fire at the school. Headteacher sacked 'after sending parents a list of striking teachers' as school launches probe, Isle of Innisfree ferry: Blaze breaks out on boat carrying 183 people in English Channel as lifeboats scramble to scene. The elementary school campus where the infamous " I Don't Like Mondays" shootings took place 36 years ago and another nearby campus will be put up for sale following a pair of 4-1 votes Tuesday. View our online Press Pack. Classmates alleged that, the week before Spencer targeted kids in the playground, she boasted she was planning to "do something big to get on TV". , Your email address will not be published. Julie Schardt || Cleveland Elementary School shooting in Stockton, California, on Jan. 17, 1989. Brenda Ann Spencer. Cleveland Elementary School Unclaimed. I am finally capable of enjoying experiences that life has to offer. The shooting drastically changed my life in multiple ways: physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. This livens up the day. Asked if she had any particular targets, she said, No one in particular. A policeman on the scene, Sgt. 2. [28], BobGeldof, then the lead singer of the BoomtownRats, read about the incident when a news story about it came off the telex at WRAS-FM, the campus radio station at GeorgiaStateUniversity in Atlanta. She also killed 56-year-old custodian Mike Suchar as he tried to pull a student to safety. "We are the ones who have to teach these kids how to grieve and how to move on," she said. Before there was Parkland or even Columbine, there was Cleveland Elementary School.But for many, the name of the Stockton, California school is unfamiliar. When asked why she did it she simply saidI dont like Mondays.. Hendrickson said, they found it in disarray. [17] In prison, Spencer was diagnosed with epilepsy and received medication to treat epilepsy and depression. I don't like Mondays. Geldof later explained: "Not liking Mondays as a reason for doing somebody in is a bit strange. Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. ClickAmericana.com is made with and by Synchronista LLC 2011-2022. Setting goals, working with others like a trauma-trained therapist to put one foot in front of the other toward healing. News reporters marked every second with live reports, video, second by second reporting. [5], Further casualties were avoided only because the police obstructed her line of fire by moving a garbage truck in front of the school entrance. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I knew one of the victims who was killed, Gracie Muehlberger. Every time it happens I get more and more scared to set foot outside or pursue an education. Jaimee Roeschke. It just keeps happening whether its school, work or vacation. Experiencing gun violence at a place like a school has completely shifted my perception of comfort in public spaces ever since. Although she was 16 at the time of the murders, Brenda was tried as an adult, convicted, and given a 25-to-life prison sentence. UVALDE, TEXAS - MAY 24: Law enforcement officers speak together outside of Robb Elementary School following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. The incident began when Spencer allegedly aimed the .22 caliber rifle out the window of her home and opened fire on the grammar school across the street. An 18-year-old gunman on Tuesday fatally shot 19 children and two adults at a Texas elementary school before he was killed by law enforcement officers, officials said.. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Classes resumed about 12:30 p.m. Investigators learned a woman and her mother were seated in their car when the womans ex-boyfriend drove up, got out of his vehicle and walked toward the car, Cleveland Heights police Chief Annette Mecklenburg said. It is easy and natural to stop trusting people and push them away, and isolate yourself. People dont talk enough about the rush to return to normalcy after a mass shooting. Five people were shot, including a future classmate of mine who would later show me her bullet wound scars and describe her dread about testifying at the trial.