Thursday, February 7, 2008

School Shooting in Portsmouth

From: WOWKTV.COM

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Police are investigating a shooting and possible stabbing near Notre Dame Elementary School.

Police confirmed that Christy Layne, a teacher at the school, has been shot. Her condition has not been released, but authorities have said the victim was taken to an area hospital then flown to a Columbus hospital.

Police believe this is a domestic situation.
Law enforcement and SWAT teams are now at a home in the 2500 block of Argonne Road. At this point, they believe the suspect, Michael Layne, is inside the residence. According to the Portsmouth Daily Times, shots were heard fired inside the home.

Police have locked down the elementary school and Notre Dame High School as they continue to search for a suspect. Police have also locked down nearby businesses and asked people who live in the neighborhood to stay inside their house.

Police said students have been accounted for and no students were injured.


PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) — A man shot his wife at her Ohio elementary school Thursday, but no children were injured, police said.

The condition of the woman was not immediately known, and the shooter escaped. Authorities said they were in the process of trying to apprehend the man, but did not elaborate.

The shooting happened at Notre Dame Elementary in Portsmouth, a community in southern Ohio near the Kentucky border.

The school and another Catholic school nearby were locked down, said Deacon Tom Berg, vice chancellor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus.

"We are mobilizing our crisis team and sending them down," Berg said.


Portsmouth's mayor, James Kalb, told a reporter that the man is barricaded in a home several blocks from the school with several weapons.

Raw Video: Ground Video From Standoff Scene
Video shows officers around the home, and a neighbor said at least five shots were fired in the home.

Layne was airlifted to Southern Ohio Medical Center, then Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, W.V., where she is listed in critical condition.

There are no reports of any injured students.

Parents, many with cell phones clutched to their ears, congregated in the parking lot across the street from the school. They began leaving with their children around 10:30 a.m., said Kathy Hall, office manager of Cornerstone United Methodist Church.


"I wasn't afraid for my own safety, I was afraid for the children, because these turn out so terrible, you know," Hall said.

The school and another Catholic school nearby were locked down, said Deacon Tom Berg, vice chancellor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus.

"We are mobilizing our crisis team and sending them down," Berg said.

Public schools also were put on lockdown, said Superintendent Jan Broughton, who oversees the community's public schools.

About 160 children from preschool through sixth grade attend the three-story, yellow brick school, which has 15 teachers.

3 comments:

Emeleth said...

Latest updates say the shooter died of self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Barbara Fisher said...

I also read reports that he stabbed the teacher, his wife or ex-wife, in front of her students, and didn't shoot her.

There is also a report that another woman was stabbed by him a few blocks from the school.

And people wonder why women don't leave abusive marriages. Statistically speaking, they are more likely to be killed once they leave than if they stay.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

As for the husband, I am glad he's dead--good riddance to bad rubbish. I hope she survives, though, and goes on to live life well.

Creep.

Barbara Fisher said...

I just realized that in my first comment that I gave away my Black Fury nature.

Oh, well.