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School TerrorismBarry Loukaitis 14 years old |
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February 2, 1996 - Moses Lake, Washington -- Dressed up like a gunslinger with 2 concealed pistols, 78 rounds of ammunition and a high powered rifle. His 1st victim 14-year-old Manuel Vela died. Another class mate fell with a bullet to his chest and then Loukaitis shot his teacher in the back as she was writing a problem on the blackboard. A 13-year-old girl took the 4th bullet in her arm. He took hostages, but a teacher put an end to the irrational siege. In all, 3 people died, and Loukaitis blamed mood swings.Loukaitis had thought it would be "fun" to go on a killing spree. Loukaitis was convicted of 2 counts of aggravated 1st degree murder and sentenced to 2 mandatory life terms without parole. Accused Teen Killer Deploys Pearl Jam Defense -- In song, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder once bluntly told fans, "This is not for you." Still, some can't help but listen...and take heed. At least that's what lawyers for a Seattle-area teenager now on trial for murder argue. They say the 1992 video for Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," in part, inspired 14-year-old Barry Loukaitis to act out like the troubled youth of the song. Free to Forgive -- when Barry was sentenced to life in prison, the judge allowed someone from each victims family to make a statement. I wrote mine out the night before and my parents helped me with wording it well. The next day, one father whose son was killed said hateful things to Barry. But the mother of the other boy killed offered forgiveness and begged Barry to seek God. Poems written by Barry Loukaitis -- Before he opened fire on his classmates. Alice Fritz -- Describes heartbreak of losing her son to violence -- Throughout the next 18 months, many days were spent in court. The truth about Barry was heartbreaking: This boy who had killed Arnie was suffering. He was mentally and emotionally ill and filled with rage. His needs went unmet, his cries for help ignored and his threats dismissed. Barry did what he stated he would do. He went on a killing spree. Arnie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our precious boy was killed. Jennie Luiten thought about killing herself -- She and Niki Greenwalt watched Barry Loukaitis kill a teacher and classmates. Update on school safety -- The anniversary of the Moses Lake school shootings.
Copyright Kari Sable Burns 1994-2006 |
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