Students suprised by deaths of their peers.

Written By:
Danielle Afram

Published:
Nov. 27 2009

Teen violence has escalated at an alarming rate in recent years. There have been many examples of teen violence throughout the country, including the massacres at Columbine and Virginia Tech, the shootings of Tai Lam, Aaron Brice and Nathaniel Quick, a rape in California, and the bomb scare right here in our very own community.
People all over the world remember the shooting at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado on April 20, 1999. Seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold decided to turn against their teachers and peers and commit one of the worst massacres in American history. They killed 12 students and one teacher, and left 24 students injured, before killing themselves.
An additional incident similar to the one at Columbine was the Virginia Tech shooting. On April 16, 2007, in the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, 23 year old senior English major, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and wounded many others before committing suicide. Cho had been diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder. The mass murder was said to be one of the deadliest shooting incidents by a single gunman in U.S. history, on or off a school campus.
“I feel sorry for the people who lost their lives . Innocent lives just taken away . I find it stupid,”sophmore Elvis Prudencio said.
In a different case, on November 1, 2008, 14 year old Tai Lam a freshman at Blair Senior High School was shot and killed on a Ride On bus in Silver Spring, Maryland. Two other boys, ages 14 and 15, were shot as well, but survived their injuries. Initial reports indicated that a verbal argument arouse between the groups of youths Lam was riding with and three to four men who got on the bus. Hector Mauricio Hernandez, 20, and Gilmar Leonardo Romero, also 20, were charged with first degree murder and Mario Ernesto Milan-Canales, 30, will be charged with accessory after the fact for first-degree murder. Police say the men had ties to the Salvadorian gang, MS-13.
“Its sad how Tai died at such a young age,” junior Franklin Garcia said.
In most recent news, the shooting at a Halloween party in Columbia near Clarksville has affected many of people. On November 1, 2009, 19 year old Aaron Brice of Silver Spring was shot and killed. 22 year old Nathaniel Quick was also shot but survived his injuries. Police say neither of the young men were targets of the shooter. Devin O’Brian Dixon, 22, was charged with murder and attempted murder and Dean Shroyer, 21, was charged with accessory to murder, but soon after released on bail by his parents.
“I was suprised and amazed at how someone can die that quickly, especially someone like him. Just going out to have fun and not making it home,” senior Kelly Crossman.
On the other side of the country, as many as a dozen people watched as a 15 year old girl was beaten and gang raped outside of her high school Homecoming on October 27. Not a single witness reported the crime. Police disclosed that the girl had been drinking and by the time she was attacked, she had already consumed a large amount of alcohol. Manuel Ortega, 19, who did not even attend the school, was arrested at the scene. A 15 year old student was also booked on one account of sexual assault.
Teen violence also directly affects the people in the Springbrook community. In April 2009, juniors Yonata Getachew, 18, of Silver Spring and Anthony Nelson Torrence, 17, of Burtonsville plotted to assault school counselor, Camille Basoco, and former principal, Michael Durso. They planned to set off an explosion using the school’s natural gas lines after allegedly sending the school a threatening email. The two were charged with conspiracy to commit first degree murder, three counts of first degree arson, one count of reckless endangerment, and one count of conspiracy to manufacture or possess a destructive device.
“It was so suprising. Nobody thought something like that would ever happen at Springbrook,”   junior Christian Lopez said.
Teen violence has become a major problem across America today.
“I think that these violent incidents are a result of people needing counseling or professional help but not getting it. If one of their teachers spoke up or tried to help them, they could have been prevented,” junior Connor McKnight said.