History of School Shootings in the United States: 2007-2009

On January 3, 2007

in Tacoma, Washington an 18-year-old student Douglas S. Chanthabouly, killed 17-year-old Samnang Kok, in the hallways of Henry Foss High School following a personal disagreement. In 2009, Chanthabouly was sentenced to 23 years in prison on a charge of second-degree murder. He refused to offer a motive for the killing. “I can’t tell you why,” he told investigators, according to court documents. “I don’t want it in the news.”

On March 7, 2007

in Compton, California during an argument with several non-students and students, a student was shot in the elbow and wounded in the eating area at Centennial High School. The shooting occurred an hour after classes were dismissed, and students in after-school activities were sent home.

On April 16, 2007

in Blacksburg, Virginia at Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University or VPI) a 23-year-old student, Seung-Hui Cho, armed himself with two pistols, a Glock 19 and a Walther P22, and killed thirty-two students and faculty members at Virginia Tech and wounded another seventeen in two separate attacks before committing suicide. Six others were injured jumping out of windows to escape. He was described by other students as being extremely quiet and lonely. During the attack he wore a black T-shirt, a russet vest, a backwards baseball cap, black military cargo pants, black boots, and grip gloves.