IN COLD BLOOD: Jamari Jackson, 12, shot and killed in hallway of Tanglewood Middle School
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA: In another case of tragic gun violence, a 12-year-old student was shot at Tanglewood Middle School in Greenville, South Carolina on March 31, 2022. Jamari Jackson died despite efforts to save his life at a local hospital, while fellow students were panicking after the shooter opened fire in the school's hallway.
Despite increasing security, school shootings continue to haunt America at an alarming rate. On March 7, one student was killed after a drive-by shooting at a school in Des Moines, Iowa. Back in 2021, Ethen Crumbley's shooting at Oxford High School raised eyebrows about gun security, but little has changed since. In fact, one Illinois-based gun company thought it would be a good idea to launch an AR-15 for children, dubbed the JR-15.
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According to EdWeek, there have been 21 school shootings so far in 2022, well over half of the number that occurred in 2021. Tragically, Jackson became the fifth student to be killed in these incidents, and the sixth overall.
Who shot Jamari Jackson?
The name of the shooter is not being revealed, because he is a minor. The shooter is also a student at Tanglewood school and is believed to have known Jackson. It's unclear what the exact nature of their relationship was, and why he targeted Jackson. "The motive for the shooting and how the suspect was able to get possession of a firearm is still under investigation," noted Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis.
A friend of the shooter told WSPA, "He was walking really fast and he looked really nervous, and there was just a whole crowd of kids. All of sudden, he just reaches into his backpack and just pulls out a gun and fired one shot." The student, named Michael added, "I didn't think twice, I just ran. I just thought: 'Oh my god, he's going to shoot the school.'" The gunfire sent the whole school into panic, with students quickly "running inside classrooms and locking the doors."
As for the shooter, he reportedly took off and was found by police hiding inside a residence close to the school. "He was hiding. He's a young man who probably didn't understand the consequences of what had just happened. I don't think he knew what to do honestly, except for to leave the school," noted Lewis. The shooter has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a firearm on school property, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a person under the age of 18.
Jackson's death has not only left a huge hole in his family but also scarred the students at the school. "It is going to be a difficult night because just knowing I was right beside the shooter in that moment, it's going to be hard to sleep, just knowing I could have lost my life that day too," Michael said. Over 200 officers swarmed the school in the minutes after the shooting, scaring other students and even one parent who came to the school.