A former student of West Middle School at Martinsville, Indiana shot another student twice on the stomach around 7:00 Friday morning. The suspect was taken into custody just an hour after the shooting took place. Assistant Superintendent Randy Taylor said that the shooter was no longer a student in that school and should have not been inside school premises.
The 15 year-old boy who was shot, Chance Jackson, was immediately flown to the hospital following the incident. His exact condition was vague until his family released a statement saying that the boy is already out of surgery and his vital signs are stable. The family further said that they appreciate all the kind words and they pleaded that people continue to pray for their son and all the others who were involved.
The person suspected to have been the shooter, Michael Phelps, is also the same age as Jackson – 15 years old. He was kicked out from school after threatening to burn down the entire building. The shooting is said to have been rooted from an argument in a school dance a few days prior to the incident.
Phelps just moved in a trailer park and is the youngest among four children of a single parent. Some say he is a nice boy and no one would have predicted this to happen; his facebook page though, says otherwise. There were statements hinting to the shooting such as “Today is the day”, posted a few minutes before he allegedly shot Chance Jackson.