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Caleb Sharpe is being identified as the shooter at Freeman High School that killed one teen and wounded three others on Wednesday, September 13. Authorities say that the suspect entered the high school in Rockford, Washington, with only one gun. The shooting occurred at around 10:30 A.M. (local time, PT). Sharpe was a sophomore at the high school he alleged shot up.
The Spokesman reports that the first call to come across a police radio regarding the shooting were the words, “Freeman High School. Gunshots or stabbing. Stand back.”
The Spokane County Sheriff is speculating that bullying may have played apart in today’s shooting at Freeman High School. In March 2017, the Spokesman featured a story about a student who had to leave Freeman High School as a result of being bullied.
Another sophomore by the name of Michael Harper, 15, knew the alleged shooter. He told the Associated Press that Sharpe “had long been obsessed with past school shootings.” Harper also said that at the start of the school year, Sharpe brought a note stating that he “might get killed or jailed.” After Sharpe brought the note to school, classmates reported him to counselors.
Harper describes Sharpe as “nice and funny weird,” who was popular with “many friends.” The sophomore also said that that Sharpe was “weird. And he loved the show Breaking Bad. He never really seemed like that person who had issues. He was always nice and funny and weird.”
One person with a child at Freeman High School told KING5 that the victim and Sharpe were “known as best friends.” Reports are saying that the victim confronted the shooter after his gun has jammed.
Sharpe is currently being held at Spokeane County Juvenile Detention Center. It’s unclear what charges the suspect will face.
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told the media:
Today that student came to school, armed. He entered the school and proceeded to take his weapons out. He attempted to fire one weapon and it jammed. He went to his next weapon and a student walked up to him, engaged him and that student was shot.
Sheriff Knezovich said, “These are senseless and tragic events that don’t need to happen. I don’t understand them, I don’t think anybody can make any sense out of this. We need to figure out what’s gone wrong with our society that our children decided they need to take weapons out to deal with the issues they’re facing.
Cheryl Moser, the mother of a freshman at Freeman said, “He called me and said, “Mom there are gunshots.” He sounded so scared. I’ve never heard him like that… You never think about something happening like this at a small school.”
https://twitter.com/shannonrwatts/status/908057513588695040?
Cory Therman, told KING5, “I felt like I was in a stampede.” The start of the school day had been delayed that day, so Therman says that the shooting occurred after the first bell at 10:30 A.M.
A day before the shooting, Freeman High School conducted a lock-down drill.
Freeman High School is located at 14626 South Jackson Road, Rockford, Washington.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMIuZSQxPjw
In November 2016, Sharpe posted a meme to Facebook, hinting that he may have been suffering from depression.
Facebook
KING5’s Alex Rozier reports that Sharpe’s parents attempted to speak with their son regarding his behavior. But those words apparently fell on deaf ears.
