Jonesboro massacre

The Jonesboro school shooting was an incident of a school shooting that occurred on March 24, 1998, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States. A total of 5 people were killed; four female students and a teacher, and 10 were injured; nine students and one teacher. The perpetrators were two students, 13-year-old Mitchell Johnson, and 11-year-old Andrew Golden, who were shooting in an ambush style from the woods in army-styled camouflaged clothes.

Details of the shooting

On the morning of the massacre, the boys, both dressed in army-style camouflaged clothes, stole a van from Johnson's home and loaded it with camping supplies, food, and seven weapons (two semi-automatic rifles, one bolt-action rifle and four handguns) which had been stolen from Golden's grandfather's house.

When the boys got to Westside Middle School, Golden set off the fire alarm while Johnson took the weapons to the woods near the school. Golden then ran back to the woods where Johnson had taken the weapons. When children and teachers came out of the school, the two boys opened fire. 13 students and two teachers were hit; Five of the victims died. Afterwards, Golden and Johnson attempted to run back to the van and escape, but were apprehended by police. They evidently planned to run away, as they had food, sleeping bags and survival gear in their van.

Victims killed

* Natalie Brooks (11)
* Paige Ann Herring (12)
* Stephanie Johnson (12) (no relation to Mitchell Johnson)
* Brittheny R. Varner (11)
* Shannon Wright (32) (teacher)

To this day, the details of their motives for these killings are not known. A possible motive is that Candace Porter, a girl in the sixth grade, had broken up with Mitchell Johnson not long before.

Trial and imprisonment

The two youths were among the youngest ever charged with murder in American history. The Jonesboro prosecutor later stated that were it not for their ages, he would have sought a death sentence for the pair. In August 1998 they were both sentenced to confinement until they reached the age of 18, the maximum sentence available under Arkansas law. They would have served until only age 18 had federal authorities not added additional confinement for weapons charges. (Both were confined until age 21.) Judge Ralph Wilson commented, "this is a case where the punishment will not fit the crime." This case led to a wide public outcry for tougher sentencing laws pertaining to juvenile offenders. Since then, the laws regarding young offenders have changed in Arkansas. Had Johnson and Golden committed their crimes several years later, they could have both been charged as adults and imprisoned for life.

Johnson was released from custody on August 11, 2005, his 21st birthday. Golden was released on May 25, 2007. He was 21. Many members of the Jonesboro community have since expressed outrage, citing the facts that the killers will not be placed under any supervision and will be able to legally purchase firearms.

Other legal issues

Mitchell Johnson was arrested on January 1, 2007 while riding in a van with his roommate, Justin Trammell, who was convicted in Benton County, Arkansas, for killing his father in 1999 with a crossbow. Trammell was the first youth in Arkansas convicted under the Extended Juvenile Adjudication Act. The law allows for combined juvenile and adult sentences upon conviction of those younger than 18. It was passed in response to the Jonesboro school shootings. Johnson was arrested on misdemeanor charges of possessing a controlled substance (marijuana) and carrying a prohibited weapon (a loaded 9mm pistol). [(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Date:2007 Jan 10; by Michelle Bradford and Kenneth Heard)]

External links

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011608