Student killed by gunman on first day back from summer vacation

Posted: Monday, July 18, 2011 - By AFP

UPDATE: The 18-year-old was attacked at a technical school in Orotina. The shooter shot himself, and died Tuesday at Hospital Mexico.

A teenager shot and killed an 18-year-old student at a school before shooting himself on Monday, according to police.

Juan Pablo Salazar was shot at 9:10 a.m. at the Colegio Ricardo Castro in Orotina, a technical high school school about 60 kilometers west of San José, according to the daily La Nación. The alleged 17-year-old assailant later shot himself in the right temple. The shooter was taken to a nearby hospital by Red Cross relief workers. He was only identified by the last name Villegas because he is a minor. He was not a student of the school, authorities said.

Authorities at Hospital Mexico confirmed Villegas' death Tuesday morning due to a brain hemorrhage.

The student was shot in the school's computer room on the first day of classes after a two week summer break. Some students said the shooter entered the room and made everyone leave except the victim.

Education Minister Leonardo Garnier said via Twitter that the event was a tragedy but there is not enough information out yet to comment further on the event.

The attack comes one year after a 17-year-old student killed a principal at a private school in Heredia, north of San José.

Instructions:

1.      First, you will read the new posted on the blog related to a recent event of a student who was murdered by a friend at a highschool in Orotina, Alajuela.

2.      When you finish reading answer the following questions as your blog’s comment.

1.      What is your perspective or opinion about this pitiful event?

2.      What is your opinion about MEP’s position in regards to the security of the students in an institution? What can be some security precautions to be taken in order to feel safe on the highschool?

3.      Have you ever had a reason to feel insecure in your highschool?