U.S endures another extreme school shooting

Samson Mosley, Staff Writer

On Tuesday, January 23, the U.S. witnessed another tragic school shooting unfold in the city of Benton, Kentucky. Marshall County High School was the scene of this unfortunate event where many students were injured and two died.

The shooting began at 8:57 a.m. ET when the suspect, 15-year-old Gabe Parker, entered the school and opened gunfire. All together 18 people were wounded, two who suffered serious injuries and two sustained fatal wounds. The victims ranged in ages 14 to 18, fourteen were male and six were female. Bailey Holt and Preston Cope have been identified by authorities as the victims that suffered fatal wounds, both were only 15 years old.  According to Kentucky State Police Commissioner, Bailey passed away at the high school and Preston at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Marshall County schools superintendent Trent Lovett sent out a message asking the community to “wrap your arms around these families and around these students, as you always have. Together with the community, we will begin the long healing process within our schools. God be with us all.”

As of January 26,  there have been 11 school shootings in 2018, which is basically one every two or so days. The schools where these have taken place include East Olive Elementary School in St. Johns, Michigan; New Start High School in Seattle, Washington; Forest City School District in Forest City, Iowa; Coronado Elementary School in Sierra Vista, Arizona; California State University San Bernardino in San Bernardino, California; Grayson College in Denison, Texas; Wiley College in Marshall, Texas; Wake Forest University in North Carolina; Net Charter School in Louisiana; Italy High School in Texas; and the most recent, Marshall County High School.

On Wednesday Gabe Parker, the Marshall County High School shooter and son of Kentucky reporter and journalist Mary Garrison Minyard, was charged with twelve counts of first degree assault and two counts of murder. A grand jury will meet on February 13 to determine and clarify those charges.