It's Been a Year

since the tragic shootings at my old workplace, Sparks Middle School in Nevada, and there have been many changes since that time.

One thing I am glad hasn't been changed is the name of the school. There was a lot of talk following the incident of naming it after the teacher who was murdered in the shootings, Michael Landsberry, but I hope that idea has been shelved. The reason is it is almost in bad taste to rename a school after a teacher who died there.

Sparks Middle School Shooting Police Report

The entire 1300-page report has been uploaded by the Reno Gazette-Journal for people to read. I am sure other local media have this up on their websites as well.

I put this brief post separately from other news summaries because people will want to search it out on the internet.

SMS Shooting Details

The Reno Gazette-Journal had excerpts or summaries of some of the facts Sparks police gathered about the events leading up to the Sparks Middle School shooting of October 21 of last year and shooter Jose Reyes's background.

It sounds like he was one messed up kid from long ago, almost a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

I do believe Prozac probably sent him over the edge.

Police found that Jose Reyes knew his father owned two guns, but "both were unequivocal in their statements that Jose was not familiar with the guns and he had never been shown how to shoot either weapon." The report stresses that the parents even discussed it in the police lobby, without knowing they were being recorded.

Reyes' parents also were aware that he played violent video games, but did little to monitor his playing. They also did not monitor his internet usage or what was on his cell phone. His parents were unaware of the images he stored on his phone, including images of the Columbine shooters and other school shooters.

Some video about the disclosure he had been prescribed Prozac:

Details About the SMS Shooting

are here.

No real evidence of bullying; however, the kid supposedly reported being teased at school and was prescribed Prozac. There is no known motive why Jose Reyes committed the crimes at Sparks Middle School.


I think the fact he was on prescription drugs alone may well explain why he did what he did.

The parents will not be charged with a crime. As far as I am concerned, they didn't take enough action to conceal the weapon.

Here is the transcript of the press conference.

In addition to the revelation he was prescribed Prozac, he left two notes that were in conflict of each other:

Notes:
Two handwritten notes from the suspect were discovered during the investigation. Each note gives conflicting motivation for the shooting.

In one note, the suspect clearly expressed anger with the teachers and students of Sparks Middle School over his belief that he was embarrassed and mistreated at school. He indicated he would get revenge for these actions.

In the second note, written to his parents, the suspect indicated the incident was not a result of shooting games or bullying. He indicated he wished he could change the past, be a better kid and a better son to his parents.

In both notes, the suspect eluded [sic] that his life would end in the process.

This I think is as good an explanation as any why Jose Reyes lashed out:

Psychotherapist appointment with Dr. Mirzaian:

On October 18, 2013, the suspect had an appointment with Psychotherapist Mirzaian. This appointment was attended with his father.

The doctor noted the suspect showed symptoms of a depressive disorder based on feelings of inadequacy in his family and meeting family expectations.

The suspect also indicated that he was being teased at school and specifically spoke about being called “gay” and being teased about “peeing” his pants.

Dr. Mirzaian prescribed the suspect 10 mg Prozac once daily.

Toxicology reports indicated that at the time of autopsy the suspect had a generic form of Prozac, Fluoxetine in his system consistent with the prescription given.

The shootings happened three days later, on October 21, 2013.

Video:

Sparks Middle School Shooting Report

Today the Sparks Police Department is scheduled to issue a massive report about last fall's shooting at Sparks Middle School (in Nevada) resulting in the death of a teacher, the wounding of two students, and the suicide of the shooter.

A press conference is scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon.

I hope the report will be available to read online instead of the media trying to tell me what to believe.

Hard to Have Sympathy

A reporter tries to find where sympathy and blame are for the Sparks Middle School shooting of last fall.

My response after the article:

I am sure the Reyes' feel guilt every single day--and they should, for if they hadn't left that gun around, the tragedy would never have happened.

This isn't about the "outside looking in"--this is FACT. They should have been charged with their negligence but they never will thanks to the helicopter parent brigade who want to pass the buck and claim fictional "bullies" or the school district (which unfortunately will HAVE to pay settlements to any insurance claims because the crimes happened on district property) were responsible, and not where the blame truly lies. BTW, I worked with a lot of the staff at SMS, including Michael Stansberry the first year he was there back in 2006-2007. His class was right down the hall from my classroom. When I heard about what had happened, it about killed me, and I hadn't been at that school for years. I don't know how the current staff copes with it; I know if I had still been there I would have never returned to that school. Everything would have reminded me of that shooting. I do not handle death well at all.

There is a limit to having sympathy. I prefer to have sympathy for the real victims. Jose Reyes' parents are not "victims." They also shouldn' t have received one dime of that "compassion fund" which was set up for victims. Of course they couldn't accept the money--how could they in good conscience do it? It wasn't their fault they received the money--the onus falls squarely on the people who ran the "compassion fund."

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The issue has always been about the easy gun access Jose Reyes had. Without the gun, no tragedy would have occurred.

What in the HELL Were They Thinking?

What in the HELL were the organizers of the "compassion fund" even thinking when they took money from people who thought the money was going to VICTIMS and their families of the SMS shooting and not part of it to the perpetrators of the crimes?

Remember, the Reyes "donation" didn't come from their personal or business bank accounts. That would have been one thing. That money was DONATED by unsuspecting donors of the Sparks Middle School Compassion Fund who were not informed the Reyes family would get part of the money that was earmarked for VICTIMS (and their families) of the Sparks Middle School shooting. This is NOT right, for if it weren't for parental negligence, this tragedy would NEVER have happened. The parents were unwitting perpetrators of the crime and should have been charged. I would be demanding my money back from the fund. I am just grateful I was too broke to give any money to the fund following the shooting.

Of course the Reyes family couldn't in good conscience keep the money. That would have been nothing more than blood money.

I Knew It Would Happen

It is simply too traumatizing for many staff at Sparks Middle School to return to work and try to continue as if nothing happened. A number of them are already seeking transfers out of the school or are on leave, and this one is one school that doesn't have a lot of turnover in staff. I'll be paying attention to who leaves there.

The district isn't saying whether the principal put on leave, Stacey Cooper, who just took on the principal job in August, is actually on some kind of medical leave or she is being pushed out:

Martinez said the district is listening to staff and providing what they need following Oct. 21 when seventh grader José Reyes killed a teacher and himself and injured two students. He said he may get additional requests for leaves or transfers in the coming months.

“Our District staff and students continue to work through the recovery process in the wake of the tragic event at Sparks Middle School. That recovery process is unique to each person, and is, by its very nature, a private one. The Washoe County School District will respect that privacy as it continues to provide support to staff members and students District-wide who have been affected by this incident," the district said in a statement.

If I were still at that school, I would have never returned.

Background of Jose Reyes

The Reno Gazette-Journal has a report and a video giving a brief biography of 12-year-old shooter Jose Reyes.

His parents own a restaurant in the area.

Is She a Scapegoat?

We will find out before long whether Sparks Middle School principal Stacey Cooper is out on leave because of stress issues resulting from the shooting, which I believe is true, or, whether WCSD is trying to scapegoat her for something that was out of the school's and school district's control.

IF it is the latter, the district is no doubt gearing up for the lawsuits, which could total in the millions, that will surely result despite the district not being at fault.

In any case, it is not the principal's fault this happened. It would terrible if she gets any kind of blame at all.

Anyway, here is the report about her leave of absence:





I read the comments following the article, and I am going to take note of a couple of them:

IF the child was being bullied, I seriously doubt the school knew because the school takes such complaints very seriously. As a parent I've had to address this and know first-hand. Also don't forget the kid came back "angry" right after a week off. IF he was being bullied and it was that intense, then maybe it was happening outside of school. You have to go deeper on this. If you see his home life, you'll see it wasn't squeaky clean and the kid had many obvious issues, especially when you read between the lines on what the parents said. On top of that EVERYONE involved has lawyered up (the parents of the shooter were reading their statement from their lawyer's office!) and I think the "District" is hedging bets because they see maybe 3-4 lawsuits being levied against them for various aspects. When that happens, then you need a S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T and who do you think they picked for that role??? God forbid that the "District" actually accept any blame because we all know that they walk on water...

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Mrs. Cooper is on leave, but it isn't willingly or by her request (I'm sure if you cornered her for a quote, she'd refer you to the "District" for "comment"). The "District" says she needs "time", but if you ask the "District" how to spell that, it comes out as S-C-A-P-E-G-O-A-T. The "District" is looking for someone to blame internally for the shooting at Sparks Middle School, and who better to blame than the new principal who has only been on the job since August 2013 - two months before the shooting. The "District" has clamped down hard on all the staff of Sparks Middle School and do not want loose lips. Ask yourself how many interviews did the media have with teachers or staff? There is a whole different view than just what the "District" wants you to know. How do I know this? The "District" should be more careful when they speak on their home turf - people they think who are inconsequential or invisible are actually paying very close attention, and even if they don't have a conscience, believe it or not others do.....

Stay tuned.

More Fallout from the Tragic SMS Shooting

Washoe County School District confirmed that the current principal of Sparks Middle School, Stacey Cooper, who just took over the job this year, is on leave. Presumably she is suffering horribly after what happened nearly three weeks ago.

She can't be the only one who is going through absolute hell as a result of this tragedy.

I believe there will be a bunch of people who will be leaving the school either at school year's end or prior.

I've mentioned I don't handle death well at all. If I had still been at that school, I would have never, ever returned.

The Father Explains

those charges of felony and misdemeanor child abuse that were leveled against him back in 2012:





He claims he "lost it" only one time, and it may be true, but I think there had be something outside of school that caused the kid to do what he did.

The fact of the matter is we will probably never know what made him do what he did, but that damned gun was lying around there for him to get.

Jose Reyes' Parents Apologize

I am sure they feel horrible, but you know, the law is the law. There is no excuse for leaving a gun around. The reporter keeps trying to muddy the issue by peddling unsubstantiated rumors about "bullying" when in fact it was the GUN that made the tragedy possible:

A Couple of Sparks Middle School Shooting Videos to Post

Here is one that was of a local (Reno) bent:





Sharon Landsberry was also on the Today show yesterday:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

He Was a Good Kid from a Good Family

Really he and they were.

The parents lived in a nearby apartment complex from Sparks Middle School. They were friendly, they had nice kids, and their son Jose was the ideal kid:

Jose Reyes, 12, lived next door with his father, mother and siblings in the well-kept apartment complex a few blocks from Sparks Middle School. They moved out in the weeks before the Oct. 21 schoolyard shooting that claimed the life of veteran math teacher Michael Landsberry and wounded two other 12-year-old boys.

Williams said Reyes and his siblings seemed in good spirits whenever they saw them.

“The kids were immaculate all the time. They minded well. They were wonderful people, polite people. They’d do anything in the world for you,” he said. “They’d work and come home. They were very family-oriented. That’s why it was such a shock.”

Police said Reyes got the semiautomatic handgun at the residence where he was living that Monday morning, but they haven’t identified the parents or their address. Williams said the family had moved to another apartment complex in the area, but he didn’t know where.

They were all nice except for being negligent. That's the bottom line despite the neighbors' views.

While Michael Landsberry's widow feels terrible for the Reyes family, in the end, it isn't her call to make.

You've got a law, and it's got to be enforced.

However, the investigation into the shooting could last many weeks or months.

Sparks Middle School Has Resumed Operations

Things are NEVER going to be "normal" at Sparks Middle School ever again.

One can put a good face on the matter, but something that traumatic is impossible to get past.

Every single day people returning to that school will be reminded of what happened.

Superintendent Pedro Martinez is trying to put a good face on a bad situation:

The Responsibility Lies With the Parents

It is NOT a matter of "school safety" the tragedy at Sparks Middle occurred. It is a matter of parental NEGLIGENCE.

Enforcing the law and making an example out of Jose Reyes' parents is a start. The LAST thing we want is to turn schools into prisons because some nitwitted parents didn't lock their gun and ammo away or even tell their child they even had a gun.

Video About Landsberry Remembrance

I found this video of last night's memorial to the slain teacher:



Article about the candlelight vigil held at the Sparks Marina:

"That day on Monday was terrifying," said David Clark, a Social Studies teacher at Sparks Middle School. "It was a terrifying day, and Mike was out there, and he breached the walls of fear and terror. He bravely approached danger calmly and lovingly, and laid down his life for his friends."

It was also a time for the teachers to reminisce about their dear friend.

"I spoke to Mike just moments before he was killed," Clark said. "He was so excited to attend his daughter, Andrea's graduation from Naval Basic Training later in the week. He asked my advice on what uniform to wear. First, he said, 'Mr. Clark, I got a problem...' I said, 'what's that?' He said, 'my daughter doesn't want me to wear my uniform.' I said, 'you're kidding.' He said, 'no, she said, 'you're going to embarrass me, dad, because you're Air Force, and we only want Navy here.' *crowd laughs* 'I said, 'Mike, you're going to wear your uniform, and they're going to be your Class A's and you're going to dress up. You're a Master Sergeant, and you're going to be proud of the Air Force!' He walked out the door and said, 'outstanding!' He looked at me and said to me like he did every single morning -- 'the coffee is ready.'"

"The first time I ever spoke to Mike, he said he wanted to make a difference in kids' lives," said Ben Tucker, a Sparks Middle School Math teacher. "In the eight years I've known him, he has made a difference in thousands of kids' lives."

I had worked with both Clark and Tucker during my time at the school during 2005-2007.

Remember, It's the Gun Access, Not "Bullying" Rumors

that led to Jose Reyes' rampage on the outside basketball court of Sparks Middle School on Monday.

Despite the claims of a legion of helicopter parents who keep claiming Reyes was "bullied," there is NO evidence of it; in fact, he had friends and his friends insist he wasn't bullied:

Reyes played soccer and often rode his bicycle in the working class neighborhood around the school, about 5 miles northeast of downtown Reno, Munoz said. He said the two played video games together, including Zombie games and the online building game Minecraft, and both were fans of MTV's comedy clip show, "Ridiculousness."

"He was more like your typical 12-year-old," Munoz said. "Right now, we all want to be popular. He wasn't one of those kids. He didn't have a lot of friends, but he had a couple of friends. He didn't seem to be a loner."

"He never told me he was bullied," he said. "Whenever we would go outside he was always smiling. He seemed happy ... He seemed intelligent. He won video games more often than not.'"

Munoz' remarks echoed those of other students who described Reyes as a shy boy, who nonetheless had friends and usually a smile on his face. He played the violin, according to his school music teacher, and was a big fan of the video game, "Call of Duty," other classmates have said.

In other words, there was NOTHING there that indicated there were problems.

Although I have no proof of it, it sounds like he had some problems at home, and those caused him to lash out. Remember, WCSD was out on fall break last week, and it is very possible something happened at home that may have caused this kid to do what he did (other than the gun being easily available, of course).

More About SMS Shooting

"Healing" is slowing beginning at Sparks Middle School, but I personally don't see how anybody directly affected will EVER "recover" from the trauma:

With the memorial over, Mieras and school officials turned their attention to Monday, when Sparks Middle School will reopen. Extra police officers will be present that day for added security.

Whether the increased staffing will be permanent or not is something officials will evaluate on a continuing basis, according to Mieras.

“Every time there’s a school incident, not just here but across the nation, we always step back and take a look at what went well, what didn’t go well and how we can improve our safety,” Mieras said.

In addition to extra security, the school will have additional counselors to help students and staff, said Katherine Loudon, guidance counseling services coordinator for the Washoe County School District.

The memorial for teacher Michael Landsberry is set for November 3.