Every now and then a shooting in a school occurs that offers more than just the shock value and emotional turmoil of a “usual” school shooting (and yes, it’s sad we can actually use that term with meaning). In some cases, a school shooting can have next to no explanation, reveal a hero, and demonstrate the need for fighting back as a successful strategy all in one event. That’s exactly what happened in the Noblesville West Middle School (Noblesville, Indiana) on May 25, 2018.
The shooter in this event was a thirteen year old juvenile and as such isn’t mentioned in any of the reports we have access to. Henceforth, for the purposes of this article, he’ll be referred to as the Perpetrator.
On that morning, reportedly during a science class, the Perpetrator asked to be excused and the teacher permitted it. When the Perpetrator returned, he had two handguns and one knife in his possession. It’s reported that he fired his weapon(s) at only two people: the first victim, another 13-year-old, Ella Whistler and the science teacher in the room, Jason Seaman.
The Perpetrator’s two handguns were reported to be one in .22lr caliber and one in .45ACP caliber. It’s not reported which weapon he used to shoot which victim. Neither of the two shot died. However, why more weren’t shot should be of great interest to every reader: The science teacher first distracted and then counter-attacked the Perpetrator. These actions undoubtedly prevented other injuries in the classroom and potentially saved lives.
It’s reported that the science teacher, Seaman, firs threw a basketball at the Perpetrator and then tackled him. The Perpetrator repeatedly shot Seaman as this was going on, but this did not stop the science teacher and it’s also reported that Seaman was yelling at the students the whole time to call 9-1-1 and to clear the room. If those actions on the part of a teacher aren’t heroic, we can’t think of what else to call them. Seaman’s actions may well have been all that prevented the Perpetrator from shooting and possibly killing more students.
The Noblesville Police Chief, after the fact, reported that the Perpetrator had been arrested shortly after the event and that he had no injuries. He also stated that there was a School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to the middle school and that the SRO did respond to the incident. With the shooting that had occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland, Florida having occurred just a few months earlier and all of the flack that Sheriff caught due to his SRO’s actions (not responding and counseling others away via radio), we can be sure that the Noblesville Chief of Police wanted to make it abundantly clear that his SRO did his job properly.
Because of the status of the Perpetrator as a juvenile, and the fact that he was tried as one (versus being charged as an adult), much of the post investigation information and court proceedings were suppressed from public release. It is reported that the Perpetrator confessed to the crime and was sentenced in November 2018 to prison until his 18th birthday. There was an indication from the judge in the case that the Indiana Department of Corrections had the option to put the Perpetrator on probation until his 18th birthday.
With no information available on motive for the Perpetrator having attempted to murder Ella Whistler, and with the Perpetrator having no prior criminal history or involvement with the juvenile criminal justice system in Indiana, we can only assume the cause was personal. What we all know and can relate to is that being a young teenager can sometimes be challenging emotionally in friendships, scholastics, socializing and more.
It is unknown if the Perpetrator had intended to murder the science teacher, Seaman, in addition to Whistler, or if his shooting the science teacher was inspired by the science teacher’s heroic actions of containment. Either way, it’s our hope that any parent discussing the events with their children would emphasize the immorality and cowardice demonstrated by the Perpetrator, while lauding the praising the heroic, moral, ethical and courageous actions of Seaman.
