More on the Eagle Scout
Dec 12, 2006 9:13 pm US/Eastern
Student Fatally Shoots Self At Springfield H.S.
Video: Victim's Father Reacts
(CBS 3) ORELAND A Montgomery County teen shot and killed himself Tuesday inside his high school. According to officials, an unsatisfactory report card may have led to the tragic incident.
Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor said at 9:15 a.m. Springfield High School junior Shane Halligan entered a crowded hallway carrying a duffle bag concealing a loaded AK-47.
The student removed the gun from the bag and fired several shots into the air above the heads of his peers.
"I just hear, 'get down,' I hear shots fired into the ceiling and I saw the smoke, so I just turned around and just sprinted as fast as I could out of there," said one student.
Castor said Halligan, 16, then turned the corner of his Oreland school and fired five rounds inside the hallway, before turning the gun on himself and firing one deadly shot into his chin.
Detectives said the teen took the gun from a locked box in his father's basement and sawed off the stock in order to hide it inside his bag.
"There is no question that the only person he intended to do violence to was himself," said Montgomery Co. District Attorney Bruce Castor.
Authorities said Shane, anxious to begin a career in the United State's Army, was an Eagle Scout, a volunteer firefighter and was a good student who was well liked.
Castor, beginning to piece together the motivation for this horrific incident and make sense of it, said Shane recently received an unsatisfactory report card and attempted to hide it from his parents.
On Monday evening, as any concerned parent would do, Shane's parents sat him down to address his declining grades.
There was no indication of discern.
"It was no big deal, it was no big deal," said Shane's father, John Halligan.
Shane's father said they had breakfast together Tuesday morning and he watched his son leave for school.
"I said 'see ya, get on to your homework when you get home,' and I watched him walk out the door with just a backpack," said John.
Hours later, Shane took his own life. A note, addressed to his family, was found in his pocket.
The incident prompted officials to lockdown all schools in the district and Shane's peers were evacuated to a nearby middle school. No one else was injured.
School District officials said due to Tuesday's incident, all schools in the district will be closed Wednesday, December 13, 2006. Grief counselors will be available on Wednesday for students and their families between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the high school Gymnasium.
When classes resume Thursday, officials said parents can expect to see a noticeable police presence to assure parents their children are safe.
Student Fatally Shoots Self At Springfield H.S.
Video: Victim's Father Reacts
(CBS 3) ORELAND A Montgomery County teen shot and killed himself Tuesday inside his high school. According to officials, an unsatisfactory report card may have led to the tragic incident.
Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor said at 9:15 a.m. Springfield High School junior Shane Halligan entered a crowded hallway carrying a duffle bag concealing a loaded AK-47.
The student removed the gun from the bag and fired several shots into the air above the heads of his peers.
"I just hear, 'get down,' I hear shots fired into the ceiling and I saw the smoke, so I just turned around and just sprinted as fast as I could out of there," said one student.
Castor said Halligan, 16, then turned the corner of his Oreland school and fired five rounds inside the hallway, before turning the gun on himself and firing one deadly shot into his chin.
Detectives said the teen took the gun from a locked box in his father's basement and sawed off the stock in order to hide it inside his bag.
"There is no question that the only person he intended to do violence to was himself," said Montgomery Co. District Attorney Bruce Castor.
Authorities said Shane, anxious to begin a career in the United State's Army, was an Eagle Scout, a volunteer firefighter and was a good student who was well liked.
Castor, beginning to piece together the motivation for this horrific incident and make sense of it, said Shane recently received an unsatisfactory report card and attempted to hide it from his parents.
On Monday evening, as any concerned parent would do, Shane's parents sat him down to address his declining grades.
There was no indication of discern.
"It was no big deal, it was no big deal," said Shane's father, John Halligan.
Shane's father said they had breakfast together Tuesday morning and he watched his son leave for school.
"I said 'see ya, get on to your homework when you get home,' and I watched him walk out the door with just a backpack," said John.
Hours later, Shane took his own life. A note, addressed to his family, was found in his pocket.
The incident prompted officials to lockdown all schools in the district and Shane's peers were evacuated to a nearby middle school. No one else was injured.
School District officials said due to Tuesday's incident, all schools in the district will be closed Wednesday, December 13, 2006. Grief counselors will be available on Wednesday for students and their families between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the high school Gymnasium.
When classes resume Thursday, officials said parents can expect to see a noticeable police presence to assure parents their children are safe.