"Some of them I knew more than others, but it was a small school and a lot of these people were in band with me. He apologized to her, and she said she has forgiven him. When I went over and grabbed him, he was shaking and he said, 'I can't believe I did that,'" Strong said. They opted for life in prison without possibility of release. Ellegood has written about the pain of seeing her sister's body and having to call their mom and tell her Nicole had been shot. After hearing testimony from Carneal and several victims, the two members of the Kentucky parole board were unable to make a unanimous decision on whether to release him in November or defer his next opportunity for parole for up to five years. [3] Carneal placed his pistol on the ground and surrendered to the school principal, Bill Bond. Nobody loved me and nobody cared.. I saw the bodies. Carneal could be seen at the Kentucky State Reformatory in a chair. How could they expect us to walk back through those doors so soon? Carneal spoke on his own behalf at that hearing. A consequence of Michael's choice," she said. The Heath High School shooting occurred at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky, United States, on December 1, 1997. Under a plea arrangement, the judge agreed to accept the pleas on condition that Carneal would receive a life sentence with the possibility of parole in 25 years (2022). It was as if we hadn't known to feel sad or scared until we saw the fearful faces of those who were supposed to protect us. In this Dec. 1, 1997 file photo a Heath High School student screams at seeing the scene of a shooting at the school in Paducah, Ky. "How does that make you feel, that you took the life or injured those eight?" It wasn't until years later that I realized the impact of that day reached far beyond isolated moments of panic. [34], Family of victims organized a 20th anniversary service to commemorate the victims, and open a memorial for the victims placed across the street from the school. Carneal was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to shooting three classmates and injuring five others while they were in a prayer circle. Carneal had told students that "something big is going to happen on Monday" but no one took him seriously. the boy as he was firing, imploring him to stop, Bond said. Every goodbye left me imaging car wrecks or crazed gunmen. The paint hid nothing as we all went over to peer at the only visual indication that everything had changed. "I know it's not going to change things or make anything better, but I am sorry for what I did.". CNN For longtime residents in western Kentucky, Tuesday's shooting at a local high school brought back painful reminders of another deadly attack two decades ago. Bond said the boy had told other students last week that In testimony from Carneal's victims and their families during a hearing on Monday, most encouraged the parole board to deny Carneal's request for parole, saying his actions have caused permanent harm and he was still too much of a risk for the public. Among those sued were the makers of the video games Quake and Doom. Killed in the shooting were 14-year-old Nicole Hadley, 17-year-old Jessica James, and 15-year-old Kayce Steger. 14-year-old freshman opened fire on classmates conducting an suspect pulled a gun from his backpack and began shooting. HE DID HAVE AN PRELIMINAR HEARING LAST WEEK WHERE A SUBCOMMITTEE MAKE THE DECISION SO THE FULL PAROLE MET TODAY AND AGAIN DENIED MICHAEL COLONELS PAROLE. What if he stops taking his medication? He also told the board members that he still hears voices, but he no longer acts on them. Three girls later died and five other students were wounded. They also reacted with disbelief when he said he had heard voices just two days ago. Michael Carnealwas a 14-year-old freshman in 1997 when he fired a stolen pistol at a before-school prayer group in the lobby of Heath High School, near Paducah, Kentucky. Killed in the Dec. 1, 1997, shooting were 17-year-old Jessica James, 15-year-old Kayce Steger, and 14-year-old Nicole Hadley, who Carneal said was a "very good friend" to him. Michael Carneal killed three people on Dec. 1, 1997. He apologized to her, and she said she had forgiven him. Michael Carneal was a 14-year-old freshman in 1997 when he fired a stolen pistol at a before-school prayer group in the lobby of Heath High School, near Paducah, Kentucky. Carneal said he feels responsible for school shootings that have happened in the U.S. Carneal said some of the symptoms of his illness, include hearing voices, which often encourage him to behave violently. 17, was treated for injuries and released. Parents who rushed to the school said the My freshmen year in college, a student died after falling off a cliff during a camping trip. School shootings were not yet a depressing part of the national consciousness, and Carneal was given the maximum sentence possible at the time for someone his age - life in prison with the possibility of parole. Voted Miss Heath High School by the senior class, Shelley was, Melissa "Missy" Jenkins, 15, was president of the, Hollan Holm, 14, was a member of the Academic Team, the Spanish Club, and the. Kentucky School Shooter Who 'Still Hears Voices' Denied Parole, Will Serve. students in grades nine through 12. We were running late, but as we circled the parking lot, I noticed a large group of students standing outside the gym -- mostly upperclassmen, including a boy I had a crush on. ", First published on September 19, 2022 / 6:56 AM. "I have been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole after living the consequence of Michael Carneal's decision, to not be able to walk," Smith said. Seventeen-year-old Jessica James died in surgery at Western 14-year-old Michael Carneal opened fire on a group of students, killing three and injuring five. Mostly, I find myself thinking of the survivors. The 6th U.S. I am now the mother of two small boys -- the oldest of whom will be entering elementary school sooner than I'd like. The boy had gotten them into the school saying they After this shooting, King requested his publisher to allow it to go out of print, fearing that it might inspire similar tragedies. She died in surgery at Western Baptist Hospital the afternoon of the shooting. Kentucky school shooter imprisoned for 25 years seeks parole. WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT THE SCHOOL SHOOTER IN PADUCAH FROM 1997 HAS BEEN DENIED PAROLE. What if his medication stops working? Jones then told Carneal that "due to the seriousness of your crime" he would serve out his life sentence in prison. Craig Keene, 15, was a member of the Agape Club, the band, and the basketball team. Locals have never forgotten it", "Sister of Paducah, Ky., shooting victim: 'I couldn't believe this could happen again', "Forgiveness, after 3die in shootings in Kentucky", "UPI Focus: Boy indicted in Ky. school shooting", "Finding futility in trying to lay blame in killings", "School shooter Michael Carneal recalls delusions", "Carneal recalls 1997 high school shooting rampage", "Kentucky school shooter - guilty but mentally ill", "Kentucky Parole Board votes to have Paducah school shooter serve out life sentence", "Kentucky school shooter imprisoned 25 years seeks parole", "Kentucky school shooter who killed 3 students in 1997 is denied parole and will serve out his life sentence", "Application for Pardons and Commutations", "Paducah Families Accept Shooting Settlement", "Media companies are sued in Kentucky shooting", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1997_Heath_High_School_shooting&oldid=1159215965. Also testifying Monday was Christina Hadley Ellegood, whose younger sister Nicole was killed in the shooting. A quarter century later, in the shadow of Uvalde and in a nation disgusted by the carnage of mass shootings, Carneal, now 39, tried Tuesday to convince the parole panel he deserves to be freed. I don't remember any physical reaction -- only mind-numbing shock. "He had some teen fired 10 to 12 shots. I remember I was wearing my brand new blue fleece from the Gap that my stepdad had given me as a reward for getting all A's that semester. However, my mother, a public school librarian, told me that if school was in session, I would be in attendance. Carneal told the panel there are days when he believes that he deserves to die for what he did, but other days when he thinks that he could still do some good in the world. [26][27][28] The "serve out" ruling, under Kentucky law, means the inmate in question cannot be considered for any future parole hearings (though commutation or a pardon from the governor is still possible). "I experienced and witnessed the immediate effects of Michael Carneal's actions on December 1, 1997, and have dealt with the effects of his actions since then," Boaz wrote, adding that victim's families have suffered losses "too vast to be put into words," and while imprisoning Carneal for life "may seem like a harsh penalty, it is only a pittance in comparison to what these families suffer. Rage for a time continued to be available in the United Kingdom in The Bachman Books collection, although the collection now no longer contains Rage. WEST PADUCAH, Kentucky (CNN) -- Two teens were killed, another is near death and five were wounded after a PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) A Kentucky man who killed three students and injured five more in a school shooting a quarter century ago has a chance at parole this week. My simultaneous feelings of guilt and gratitude manifested in a driving desire to forgive Michael Carneal. Jones earlier told Carneal their "number one charge is to maintain public safety." "After deliberating, Mr. Carneal, due to the seriousness of your crimeyour crime involved a weapon. Ben Strong, the prayer group leader, said the boy hung out The guns had all been stolen from a neighbors garage several weeks earlier. shooting -- a .22-caliber semi-automatic handgun -- during a On Dec. 1, 1997, then-14-year-old Michael Carneal opened fire on a prayer group at Heath High School near Paducah, Kentucky, killing three of his fellow students and injuring another five. "He told me he was sorry two or three times." Speaking on a videoconference from the Kentucky State Reformatory in La Grange, Carneal told the panel that at the time of the shooting, "I was hearing in my head to do certain things, but I should have known that stealing guns was going to lead to something terrible." In addition, Carneal was carrying a .22-caliber pistol. [24], In 2007, Carneal filed an appeal claiming that he was too mentally ill to plead guilty to the shooting at Heath High School. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "The full parole board had discretion to release Carneal, to defer the decision or to order him to spend the rest of his life in prison without further hope of release.They opted for life in prison without possibility of release.Watch the entire line of questioning here:Previous story: No decision reached on parole for 1997 Kentucky school shooter: What happens next, 15 Best Early Labor Day Furniture Sales of 2023, Where to Buy Mattel's 'Barbie' Movie Dolls Inspired by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, The Barbie the Movie Amazon Shop Is Full of Pink, Plastic, Fantastic Merch, Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale Has Major Deals Under $100 on Clothing, Home and More. I saw the bodies. Sometimes I think I should be killed." The signs made an impact. Parole Board Chair Ladeidra Jones told Carneal after his testimony that the two members had not reached a unanimous decision and were referring his case to the full board, which meets on Monday. My great-aunt had been the home economics teacher for years. "I heard gunshots, about 10 in a row, just bang, bang, bang, Heath High School shooting suspect Michael Carneal is escorted out of the McCracken County Courthouse after his arraignment in Paducah, Ky., Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998. Just a few months before, a student in Pearl, Mississippi, had gone to school and shot his former girlfriend. September 19, 2022 / 6:56 AM he shot his classmates, the gunman told them he didn't know. Fifteen-year-old Kayce Steger died at Lourdes Hospital in AIFF or WAV sound), Freshman Michael Carneal suffered from "immaturity problems" but there was no indication he was dangerous, Bond said. Augustus said the suspect acquired the gun used in the TTAG Contributor-September 27, 2022 52. He stated that he did not know who he was aiming at until he read the names in the paper.[11]. Carneal's parole hearing is scheduled to start on Monday with testimony from those injured in the shooting and close relatives of those who were killed. group for several days, leaning up against a trophy case in His parole hearing began Sept. 19 with testimony from those injured in the shooting and close relatives of those who were killed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Tag: Kentucky school shooting 1997. Months later, his sister told me he had always been known asherlittle brother. A Kentucky man serving a life sentence for a deadly 1997 school shooting has been denied parole. [11], 370443N 884736W / 37.07861N 88.79333W / 37.07861; -88.79333, Location of Heath High School (the United States). I know it's not going to change things or make anything better, but I am sorry for what I did.". [17][18] He has been hospitalized several times since the start of his incarceration due to psychosis, and takes the anti-depressant Zoloft and Geodon, an anti-psychotic used to treat schizophrenia. Kentucky school shooter who killed 3 students in 1997 is denied parole and will serve out his life sentence Michael Carneal was a 14-year-old freshman when he fired a stolen pistol at a. School Principal Bill Bond. I turned around and walked out. Michael Carneal was 14 years old on Dec. 1, 1997, when he fired a stolen pistol into a group praying in front of the school in Paducah. 1:48 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Parole Board voted Monday morning to deny parole for Michael Carneal, who will now have to serve out the life sentence he was given for killing. They scoffed as they heard Carneal say he had not targeted the prayer group but simply shot at random. The Heath High School shooting in Kentucky was one of the first school massacres. I find myself asking questions that seemed silly when raised by the concerned parents of my classmates 15 years ago. Jessica James was a seventeen-year-old student and member of the marching band. Michael Carneal has served nearly 25 years of a life sentence. I could see the shock written across each and every one of their faces. "Some guy just started shooting people!" blanket. boy had made threats in the past. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. wall," said Strong, who was warned by the gunman not to be in All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. ", First published on September 26, 2022 / 10:42 AM. December 1, 1997 Web posted at: 7:40 p.m. EST (0040 GMT) WEST PADUCAH, Kentucky (CNN) -- Two teens were killed, another is near death and five were wounded after a 14-year-old freshman opened. Mark Humphrey/AP 25 years after a school shooting. 1 man killed, 3 wounded in shooting outside Bronx restaurant, Funeral held for YNG Cheese, son of Gillie Da King, at The Met Philadelphia, South Minneapolis shooting leaves Tonia Powell dead, another woman gravely injured, Annapolis mass shooting suspect charged with hate crimes, first-degree murder, Nevada woman who hired hitman using bitcoin to kill ex-husband gets 5 years in prison. I would watch my entrance play out again and again on the nightly news for the next week. I'm not sure how the conversation began, but I was telling them that every time my husband and I parted even for a few minutes, to run a short errand, I worried it would be the last time I would see him. He simply said "Yes, ma'am." "For me, for him to stay in prison, he's . nearby Paducah about 45 minutes after the shooting. The two-person panel of the full parole board only has the option to release him or defer his next opportunity for parole for up to five years. I don't remember when I left or with whom. They escaped with their lives. On Tuesday, Carneal will make his case for release from the Kentucky State Reformatory in La Grange. He said there was no simple answer for why he lashed out, but he was suffering from delusions and paranoia at the time. It could be listening to someone, carrying something. 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Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 14-year-old Michael Carneal opened fire on a group of students, killing three and injuring five. ( 352K/27 sec. "What are they doing to keep my children safe?" Three students died and five were injured in the school shooting in 1997, including Nicole Hadley. I realize now the absurdity of that response. A student took the gun, threatening to tell police if Carneal did not give it to him. one bullet left in it. The leader of the prayer group, a pastor's son, walked up to Augustus said the As recently as a couple of days ago, he heard voices telling him to jump off the stairs. Prosecutors appealed and the Kentucky Supreme Court rejected his request. I dedicated myself to forgiveness. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. "He didn't say anything throughout the entire thing until I grabbed him. The memorial was built in a circle to symbolize the prayer circle that was targeted, with five benches representing the five surviving victims. According to the newspaper, asked whether he deserved parole, Carneal said, I dont know: Sometimes I think I deserve to be killed. But he said he would like to do something good for society even if it is just to listen people.. He said he has been receiving therapy and taking psychiatric medications in prison but admitted that he still hears voices. Classes were dismissed Not owning a license yet, I rode to school with my friend Beth and her dad. Families of the victims filed a $130 million lawsuit against 21 entertainment companies for their alleged role in the tragedy. He said that therapy and medication he received in prison had stabilized his mental health. He was sentenced to life with the opportunity for parole after 25 years, the maximum allowed at the time for someone his age. I had expected reassurance that they thought the same things from time to time, but instead I received only stunned silence. I was sitting with a group of close friends. "A lot of people think that exonerates him from consequences, but I don't think so," she said, adding that she is opposed to his release from prison. Carneal spoke on his own behalf at that hearing.A parole board member asked if he deserved parole.Carneal replied, "I don't know, honestly. During his parole hearing on last week, Carneal, who spoke via Zoom from Kentucky State Reformatory, apologized for his actions and said since his incarceration he has received multiple mental health diagnoses, for which he takes medication. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Current one is: December 12. Mostly, we all just wandered around and did whatever felt right. AIFF or WAV sound). [14] Following the shooting, Carneal was diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder and dysthymia. WEST PADUCAH, Kentucky (CNN) -- One day after a deadly, unexplained shooting rampage by a 14-year-old student, Heath High School was open on Tuesday so students could grieve together and because "we can't let one mixed-up person destroy our society," Principal Bill Bond said before the start of classes. When it had been only us filling the gym and trying to figure out what to do, we could keep up a front, but as our mothers and fathers arrived, everything changed. If someone believes in anarchy and we let that anarchy control us, then he is in control of us. Fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal is indicted as an adult on three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder for the shooting of his classmates at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky. It's as if a security gate slams shut when I try to think about the loss of either of my children. Heath High School shooting suspect Michael Carneal is escorted out of the McCracken County Courthouse after his arraignment in Paducah, Ky., Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998. Commonwealths Attorney Daniel Boaz, the lead prosecutor for the area that includes Paducah, wrote a letter to the Kentucky Parole Board on Sept. 9 opposing Carneals release. All Rights Reserved. AIFF or WAV sound). Please enter valid email address to continue. Third student dies in Kentucky school shooting - December 2, 1997 Student kills 2, wounds 6 at Kentucky school - December 1, 1997 Related sites: Note: Pages will open in a new browser window. U.S. schools: Security by metal detector? He fired ten rounds in fast succession at a youth group of students. It depends on when you ask. In this March 18, 2011 file photo Michael Carneal is escorted by a guard from the District Courthouse in Paducah, Ky. Stephen Lance Dennee/The Paducah Sun via AP, FILE. He admitted that he still hears voices like the ones that told him to steal a neighbor's pistol and fire it into the crowded lobby of Heath High School in 1997.
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