Boy Shoots Four – Takes Own Life

I am in Northern Ohio broadcast area and receive a couple of Cleveland TV channels.  We watched this week in horror as another troubled youth walked into a local school and opened fire.  At the time of the first broadcast there was great confusion and not many hard facts, as Cleveland Police and various officials tried to give details as they were still looking for anymore possible victims.

It turns out that the final toll was two male teachers, aged 57 and 42 yrs old, a 17 yr old male and 14 yr old female student, were all wounded and have survived.  All are reported to be in good or stable condition.  A fifth student, a 14 yr old female hurt her knee during the melee.  It is much less bleak an outcome as it could have been, if the shooter had placed killing shots rather than just randomly shooting

The shooting took place at an “Alternative School” named SuccessTech which has a predominately Black enrollment, with a spattering of White and Hispanic students.  It was founded to assist inner-city youth in gaining skills and tools to help them become more productive in the business community upon graduation and does boast a 94% graduation rate.

The shooter, a 14 yr old male freshman student was suspended earlier in the week for fighting and came back in blazing away at anyone who moved.  Cleveland Police found the young shooter - Asa Coon dead, apparently from a self inflicted gunshot wound.  Two different calibers of shell cases were found as well as some knives.   

I have heard various students state; the youth “was crazy, wore a trenchcoat, and he just wanted to gain popularity.”  Many students want to be popular, some ARE crazy and some do wear the trenchcoat as a means of association with the original “Trenchcoat” High School shootings.  Was he any or all of the above?  We’ll never know – at least for now, since Asa Coon is now dead.  He can’t share whatever was behind his bad attitude, and predisposition for murderous violence.  Some say it’s the community, the family, media, rap music and video games.

I hope that more background is revealed in this tragic incident – but I’m just reporting the news, as I witnessed it unfolding.  Such a waste!