Nevada School Shooting: Teacher Killed Trying To Protect Students

In a Nevada school shooting today, a student opened fire on his classmates, wounding two boys and killing a teacher. The incident took place in the basketball court adjacent to the Sparks Middle School building.

Mike Mieras, the Washoe County School District police chief, said in a statement: “The one deceased is a staff member of the school. The other deceased individual at this point in time appears to be a student-slash-suspect in this case.”

Kyle Nucum, aged 13, who was an eyewitness to the Nevada school shooting, told Reno Gazette Journal:

“We were by the basketball court, and we heard a loud pop, and everybody was screaming. I thought it was a firecracker at first. The student was pointing a gun at the teacher, after the teacher told him to put it down… and then the student fired a shot at the teacher and the teacher fell and everybody ran away. We ran across the field to get somewhere safe, and while we were running we heard about four or five more shots.”

The suspect who died in the shooting was only 14 or 15 years of age. The deceased teacher was 45-year old Michael Landsberry, who leaves behind a wife and two young step-daughters.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada issued a letter of condolence following the Nevada school shooting:

“My condolences go out to the victims’ families and my thoughts are with the teachers, administrators, parents and students at Sparks Middle School who have experienced a traumatic morning. No words of condolence could possibly ease the pain, but I hope it is some small comfort that Nevada mourns with them. I stand by to be of any assistance if there is anything that can be done and I will continue to monitor the situation.”