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Crime

Horror: 9th Grader Reportedly Kills Himself in High School Bathroom

Feb. 4, 2013 3:22pm Erica Ritz

Coweta Intermediate High School on Lockdown After Possible Student Suicide in Bathroom

An aerial view of the school. (Photo: NewsOn6)

Coweta Intermediate High School in Coweta, Oklahoma was put on lockdown this morning after police responded to an “officers needed” call around 8:30 a.m. local time. Local reports indicated that shots may have been fired.

At 2 p.m., police confirmed that a 15-year-old 9th grade male had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The body was reportedly discovered in the school restroom.

Superintendent Jeff Holmes was inundated by questions about bullying at the press conference, but reiterated that the school has a “zero tolerance” policy and is in complete compliance with state recommendations. He refused to speculate on the child’s motive.

Earlier that day, Coweta Police Lt. Donnie Krumsiek said officers responded immediately and “within seconds” of the call, there were three policemen at the school.

“Everything is under control,” he assured. “The schools did an outstanding job, immediately going into lockdown.”

Krumsiek added that multiple departments are working on the investigation, including the FBI.

Here is video of the first presser, via KJRH:

Coweta Public Schools sent out this message Monday morning, according to NewsOn6:

“This is Jeff Holmes, Superintendent of Coweta Schools. I regret to inform you that we have a tragic incident at our intermediate high school today.

All 9th grade students have been moved to the high school gymnasium where they will be able to checked out from the northwest lobby by a parent at this time. All other schools will remain in session throughout today.

All bus routes will run at the normal time at the end of the day for students including any 9th grade students who have not been checked out from the high school gymnasium. We will have press conferences soon to release more information.”

Class was cancelled for the remainder of the day, though other schools in the district were unaffected.

Holmes said he was “completely unprepared” to tackle issues of gun violence in schools at the most recent press conference.

“We have prepared and planned and trained for instances like this,” Krumsiek said simply. “Unfortunately a life was lost, but it could have been a lot worse.”

This is a breaking news story. Updates will be added.

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Comments (69)

LibertyGoddess
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:59pm
How come this is in the news? Many other teens took their lives today and it wasn’t reported in a manner to politicize the gun control debate.This family is dealing with enough already.

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katzkiner
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:06pm
As hope rescedes suicides increase, look at the numbers in Greece. Seems like there is not much hope here in Obamaville either, it was all hype. We are losing 22 veterans every day, I am still looking for the administrations’ push to help them. Guess they are to busy pushing the rights of gays, illegals and gun control issues. My generation reached for the stars, eagerly anticipating the future. What vision are we giving our children? Are we promoting our children’s faith in their future, or giving them a bleak picture?

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Bamagal0007
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:23pm
There was a young man in my senior class who killed himself by sitting down on the train tracks and waiting for the train…should we stop the trains?

This is just another mental issue which had either been overlooked or ignored…put the blame where it belongs gun haters.

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pjbtulsa
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:33am
I have 4 grandchildren that attend Coweta schools. I was in absolute terror yesterday morning. Now I just feel grief for the boys family and friends.

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Azzie
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:33am
In response to Marcia – There is no way to deal with the bullies due to the school rules. Back in the old days you could just just tired of them and punch them and they would figure out that you aren’t such an easy target and stop bothering you. The school rules have made it so it does no good to tell and YOU get in trouble if you fight back. There is no way out. I can see why these poor kids get so depressed. There is no end in sight for the constant torment they face every day. Then add in the fact that they are tormented on Face Book and texts and hard telling what else. It would be overwhelming to say the least. There is no way to get away from it. I’m not sure why kids are so mean now. Parents are NOT doing their job in teaching kids to think of other people’s feelings. Very sad. HOME SCHOOL

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thegreatcarnac
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:37am
Well…..thank God he wasn’t in the bathroom smoking. We all know how terrible that is…just ask big brother.

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LakeHartwellSailor
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 8:16pm
I feel for this child’s family. I also will not make any judgements about what lead up to this little 15 year old to decide to take his life.

What I do find interesting is that we hear more and more stories about these tragic events and they are at schools. Are young people migrating to schools to kill themselves more and other venues (i.e., at home) are becoming less? Or, is it that the distribution of these events have remained relatively the same over the say, the past 100 years, but the media is just focusing on the school incidents more?

Not sure what that means, but just thought I would throw that question out there.

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jungle J
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:47pm
look at his parents.

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raywanpen
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:45pm
WHY IS NO ONE ASKING THIS QUESTION, Was this boy taking any medication for any behavoir problems, It seems that drs, are telling parents children need drugs to cope with life’s problems, the boy in alabama 5 years old is on medication, OMG why Then when these kids get older then they have side effects to cope with bullying, they snap and want to kill the bully. Even adults in work place shootings, having truoble with anger with someone and they want to just get a gun and shoot that person. Every school shooting had to do with a child being bullied by other kids, columbine, ky, florida, california and so many more schools. the virginia tech shooting he was seeing a dr, and i think the boy in arizone that shot congrsswoman gabby he had mental problems was he on medication, the colorado shooting he was seeing a dr what drugs was he on. maybe we need to see what drugs have been given to these kids, OH HIPPA LAW prevents that. my son is on disabillity from the military and he got ptds to get more money and is on medication, i see changes in his mood swings from this medicine. Will someone step up and get someone to start an investigation in the drugs that are being prescribed to children. We all have gotten angry at someone , maybe we even thought about killing them or wish them to be dead, BUT WE have thi thing in our brain that say’s NO we can not do that and we don’t snap and kil someone, but if we have been taking drugs, maybe we can not sto

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Whatmeworry-never
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:28pm
Darwinian moment?

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BHOHG2G
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:59pm
Events like this were unheard of forty years ago. It has to be how children are raised and then baby sat by technology these days.

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- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:10pm
  Kinda like magic. Thanks hippie libs, you’re back incharge. Look what you have grown.
  
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