Shooting at Heritage High School

On September 20, 2021, a 15 year old student entered Heritage High School in Newport News, Virginia, with a gun hidden in his backpack. According to The Washington Post, the male suspect attempted to escape but was taken in to custody within three hours. Two students were shot and wounded, but thankfully there were no casualties. The shooting is thought to be the result of a fight between students that broke out in the hallway shortly before.

As reported by the Daily Press, the victims were a 17-year-old male and a 17-year-old female. The male was shot behind his left ear and in his left leg. He also appeared to have gunfire damage to his right middle finger. The female was shot once in her left shin. According to her report, she had no involvement and was simply caught in the crossfire. The male allegedly engaged in a physical confrontation with the suspect, which was broken up quickly by a teacher. The 15-year-old suspect then pulled the gun from his backpack and opened fire on the male victim. Both injured were transported to the hospital out of danger and are expected to make  a full recovery. Newport news Chief of Police, Steve Drew, made a statement concerning the victims conditions “Reports I just got from the hospital is that neither [wound] is considered life-threatening, and I thank God for that. That is the most important thing” These students were the only civilians wounded by gunfire, but there were two additional students taken to the hospital following the incident for non-gunfire related injuries. One is believed to have been suffering from asthma, and the other a sprained wrist.

The suspect went on the run shortly after the shooting. Only a few hours later, he was taken to authorities by a family member. The weapon used in the shooting was recovered by authorities. Police have yet to release any personal information about the suspect, except that he is a juvenile male, aged 15. At the time of the shooting the suspect was allegedly wearing an electronic ankle tracking device as a result of being charged in the shooting of another teenager last year, off of school property. He has since been arraigned of a number of felony charges. It is unclear as to whether he will be tried as a minor or as an adult.

Neighboring schools Achievable Dream Middle School and Achievable Dream High Schools were both places on lockdown during the time of the shooting. Local churches were seen outside of the school, providing support for the students being released. Heritage High School has since paused or cancelled all sports, games, and after school activities. Community members are worried as to the future of security in the school district. Students and faculty members had until Friday, September 24th to enter the school and retrieve any belongings left behind in the panicked evacuation.

A shooti

ng in the 757 area raises questions as to the security of schools all over the area. Many worry our schools are not providing proper protections for the students, given how easy it was for the Heritage High School shooter to enter armed and dangerous. Hannah Rubin, a senior at Lafayette High School, weighs in. “No, I don’t entirely feel safe at school. If something can happen so close to us, there’s no guarantee of our safety. You can practice all the proper protocols, but at the end of the day there’s no real promise.” When asked about what she believes can be done to further protections, Rubin responded “Implementing stronger laws, more emphasis on student’s mental health, and mental

health needs to be prioritized in school so students feel less alone.”

Sam Boyer, Lafayette High School football player, weighs in. “I feel safe because

I trust Officer Dre, our student Resource Officer, and our security. If there was an active shooter they would alert us ASAP and do their best to keep the students safe, while also keeping their own safety in mind.” He goes on to state he believes the security we have currently is enough. “The Heritage High School incident was tragic, and looking back on it, I believe there could have been more precautions.”

Overall, a shooting so close to home can make students feel unsafe, and brings the reality of school shootings to light.