Roswell Daily Record
Vol. 123, No. 13 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
January 15, 2014
www.rdrnews.com
WEDNESDAY
Mark Wilson Photos
WHY?
AS
DETAILS IN SCHOOL SHOOTING EMERGE , LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES SEARCH FOR MOTIVE AND COMMUNITY REMAINS IN SHOCK JESSICA PALMER RECORD STAFF WRITER
The community of Roswell remains in shock after two students were shot at Berrendo Middle School around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday. Parents and family raced down Main Street to converge on the Roswell Mall following the incident. People wept and held each other; others prayed as they waited to hear if their sons or daughters were among the injured. In a late n i g h t press conference, G o v . Susana Martinez confirmed the name of one of the two student victims: Kendal Sanders. She said the 13-year old girl was shot in the right shoulder, but made it through surgery and was listed in stable condition. The name of the second victim, a 12-year-old boy, was withheld at the request of the family. He had been shot in the side of the face and the neck and had gone through two surgeries. “They have asked to be left alone. ... They want to focus on their son.” One school employee received minor injuries, but refused medical treatment. Martinez complimented John Masterson, who assisted the child who had been wounded, and school security, who had helped to disarm the 12-year-old shooter.
New Mexico State Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Emmanuel Guiterrez thanked the entire law enforcement community for their work. “Tonight, we will be serving three search warrants for his locker, the bag and his residence.” He said that the shooter is in NMSP custody and he repeated that there had been only one person involved in the incident. However, Gutierrez reported that according to preliminary information,
Gutierrez credited the quick response to the active shooter training conducted by the Chaves County Sheriff‘s Office. Sheriff Rob Coon commended the trainers for the program, developed by Sgt. Mike Herrington, for their work in getting training out to the schools. Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Roswell Police Department ensured that all students had been reunited with their families in a quick and orderly fashion before 11 a.m. C i t y Councilor and Police Committee Chairman Savino Sanchez (Ward 4) came to the mall to support and comfort the families. He said he was hurt and stunned to hear about what happened at the middle school. “It seems like the world has turned upside down. What was once good isn’t anymore.” Later, after a prayer vigil (see related story on A3) he said he was gratified by the outpouring of support shown by the community. Martinez said: “I have always found that Roswell is a strong community. New Mexicans have always come together in a time of crisis.” Martinez promised that every resource the state had available was to be
“It seems like the world has turned upside down. What was once good isn’t anymore.” the shooter had warned some students to stay away from school on Tuesday. The weapon was a 20 gauge sawed-off shotgun, which he concealed within a bag as he carried it into the building. Officials are not releasing the juvenile’s name. District Attorney Janetta Hicks told reporters that no charges will be filed until the investigation is complete. Gutierrez said 500 students were gathered in the gymnasium where the incident occurred; 60 have been interviewed. According to Roswell Independent School District Superintendent Tom Burris, the incident lasted less than 10 seconds between the time when first shots rang out until teachers had control of the situation.
HIGH 57 LOW 26
TODAY’S FORECAST
See SHOOTING, Page A3
• NAME OF ONE VICTIM CONFIRMED, OTHER WITHHELD • 13- YEAR - OLD GIRL IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER SURGERY
• NMSP
TO SERVE SEARCH WARRANTS ON SHOOTER’S LOCKER, BAG AND RESIDENCE
• DA HICKS: NO CHARGES FILED UNTIL INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE
• BURRIS: INCIDENT
LASTED LESS THAN 10 SECONDS, BETWEEN FIRST SHOTS AND TEACHERS TAKING CONTROL
TODAY’S OBITUARIES PAGE A6 • PATRICK J. HANNIFIN • SAMUEL ROMERO • QUETANA N. DRUMM • ARTURO TROY ANALLA • SHIRLEY M. MARTIN • STEVEN JOHNSON • BENNY ARAGON
CLASSIFIEDS ..........B6 COMICS .................B5 ENTERTAINMENT .....A8 FINANCIAL ..............B3
Inside • officials react to Berrendo Middle School Shooting — A2 • available counseling resources & ways to help victims — A2 • Community prays, together at vigil — A3
INDEX GENERAL ...............A2
HOROSCOPES .........A8 LOTTERIES .............A2
OPINION .................A4
SPORTS .................B1
WEATHER ..............A8