Student killed by gunman on first day back from summer vacation
Posted: Monday, July 18, 2011 - By AFP
UPDATE: The 18-year-old was attacked at a technical school in Orotina. The shooter shot himself, and died Tuesday at Hospital Mexico.
A teenager shot and killed an 18-year-old student at a school before shooting himself on Monday, according to police.
Juan Pablo Salazar was shot at 9:10 a.m. at the Colegio Ricardo Castro in Orotina, a technical high school school about 60 kilometers west of San José, according to the daily La Nación. The alleged 17-year-old assailant later shot himself in the right temple. The shooter was taken to a nearby hospital by Red Cross relief workers. He was only identified by the last name Villegas because he is a minor. He was not a student of the school, authorities said.
Authorities at Hospital Mexico confirmed Villegas' death Tuesday morning due to a brain hemorrhage.
The student was shot in the school's computer room on the first day of classes after a two week summer break. Some students said the shooter entered the room and made everyone leave except the victim.
Education Minister Leonardo Garnier said via Twitter that the event was a tragedy but there is not enough information out yet to comment further on the event.
The attack comes one year after a 17-year-old student killed a principal at a private school in Heredia, north of San José.
Instructions:
1. First, you will read the new posted on the blog related to a recent event of a student who was murdered by a friend at a highschool in Orotina, Alajuela.
2. When you finish reading answer the following questions as your blog’s comment.
1. What is your perspective or opinion about this pitiful event?
2. What is your opinion about MEP’s position in regards to the security of the students in an institution? What can be some security precautions to be taken in order to feel safe on the highschool?
3. Have you ever had a reason to feel insecure in your highschool?
In this country every day there is more violence, theft, assault, rape, and even worse, murder. People just can not leave in peace and security is increasingly poor. And with respect to the Ministry of Education, my opinion is that it can be possible in a place like a school, where is supposed to be where we should be young for our own welfare, a situation of this kind ... How does a person outside the institution enter without any difficulty ...? Fortunately in my school I have always felt very safe and have never felt afraid that something bad might happen ... But I really hope that both the Ministry of Education and the government of this country aware of this unfortunate incident and take preventive measures.
ResponderEliminarWell, i think that this is a tragic event, here in costa rica we can see in the television all the violence that sometimes we can ignore. In this moment the students dont fell safety in the schools or highschools because in any moment can appear a person with a gun. I think that the police have to be more alert to all the problems that happen in the schools or out, for me the solution of this problem is that when a student or any person enter in the school look at the things that they are going to get in.
ResponderEliminarI feel happy because i never feel insecure in my highschool, but this is not an excuse for not improving security, because in the future maybe something could happen.
Gimena Chacon R.
1. seems to me very unfortunate that such things happen in high school, as a high school may not have control of people in and out the institution, that is negligence by the directors and the ministry of public education. Unfortunately in this country until someone gets hurt or dies, they do nothing.
ResponderEliminar2.I think that is the MEP who has to put surveillance, because as we have seen many managers do not pay attention to things like security in the institution.
1 - Students should carry an identification card proving that they are in the institution
2 - People agen to the institution have to leave their personal data in the input.
3. No, never. i feel very secure in the institution.
1) I think that this event is very tragic and sad, because it shouldn`t happen in high schools and schools, but the country have more and more violence, for example: the accidents, the assaults, the crimes… and I think that the country have to stop this events for the security of the people, that even in your houses fell safe.
ResponderEliminar2) The MEP want to take more precautions , but also depends on the educational institution, which should enhance safety, do not let people enter without identification, hire more security guards, so they are constantly reviewing the school and I think they should talk to students these situations, listening to students , know what they think about it, that solution would have them in mind so that these accidents do not happen.
3) In my high school , there is no reason to feel insecure, they protect all the students very well, and if there was a danger know how to protect to the student , and how to react.
Michelle Morales R
I think people now do not measure the consequences that brings aggression to one or more persons. The aggressor think that the solution is to eliminate at the other person.
ResponderEliminarWith respect to MEP, take more security measures into the high school in most of the country, actions until now in the schools have been very bad. Channel 7 continuously monitors schools greater insecurity in the country.
For greater caution is needed guards that constantly monitor the entry and exit of people in the institution.
I’ve felt safe because the security at my school is very strict, do not let anyone and every certain period lead police canine to check bags and lookers each student.
Daniela Azofeifa J.
In my opinion that event is really regrettable and painful at the same time, how it is possible so insecurity in an institution where many students remain. Is so dangerous!
ResponderEliminarI think that the level security in Costa Rica it's so low and not enough, for example now you see assaults, violations, killings everywhere and they are not cause of impact because result "an everyday thing" although sounds horrible. The MEP did not take the necessary measures.
Now a days is so easy make any wrongdoing because the people know that not have consequences and not have to answer to justice like should, the institutions should take more precautions respect to those who enter and leave and why outsiders want to enter.
From my point of view my highschool is really secure and takes many precautions for the protection of the students.
I think that this is an example of the poor security that Costa Rica have. Nowadays violence and murders are growing in all the country and is very sad to see that in a country that supposedly is very pacific. Even if the MEP can be more careful about violence in schools I think that the responsable of change that situation are all the costaricans. The education begins in home and parents and may give better examples to the young people; we have to change to form we think for stop the violence in the country. Also the highschools should give motivation to the students and show them that we don’t have to kill or attack anybody to fell ok whit us. In my case I always fell well in my highschool because the institution has a good security system. =)
ResponderEliminarMary Benavides 10-6
1) Nowadays you can’t trust anybody because the world has become more dangerous. People think that the solution to any problem is violence because with it no one says no but it shouldn’t be like that because life is life, you can’t take someone’s life just because you want. Find another way to resolve the problems such as better communication (the best way to live in peaceful).
ResponderEliminar2) Security wasn’t and it isn’t enough, public authorities have to apply the security protocol because it does not worth if they have it but they don’t use it.
Some prevention is: be careful when strangers are going in a school or high school, check their bags besides student’s bags in almost every high school in the country students come around even when they are supposed to be in classes. Strangers coming in and out without a correct supervision should not be allowed.
3) I have never feel scare in my high school but you never know what it can happen.
Melissa Pérez Jaramillo 10-6.
I think it is tragic and ugly to see these things in our country and succeded
ResponderEliminarmore than one person is so young and had everything a student life
before
insecurity in our country there is very frightening to put a stop to these
problems that are so striking and regrettable perhaps through no fault
just the police but also has to have security
anytime, anywhere.
youth should also be more wary and choose our
friends and more if it is a relationship and with whom we must be careful and try not to make mistakes and learn and appreciate our life and worth horo this case seems very strange because it does not make sense that young man who committed a murder and then removes the good life these are things that reflect and value each day that we have and this was my comment:)
This has been an unfortunate event which I hope never again has to happen. It's a shame that two people so young have lost their lives and also be a traumatic experience for classmates of this young man.
ResponderEliminarNow the most important then is to prevent this tragedy from happening again. It is very important that the MEP calls for greater security in schools and colleges across the country.
Already several colleges have implemented new safety standards but the important part is that these new measures are maintained and are not a fad after a tragedy is often the case in Costa Rica.
A security measure that I think the most important would be to be more strict with outsiders entering the school, at least if you can review and follow within the institution to see what they will do.
I've never felt unsafe in the college, on the contrary is a place where you feel safer, but now maybe it will cease to be.
1.I think we should pay much more attention with regard to safety in schools, colleges and other insituiones as these actions have greatly increased.
ResponderEliminarMembers also should act before these unfortunate actions occur, as is so common in this country that people acted after the events happen.
2.Members should consider increasing security in schools that do not occur after these events but increase security to prevent.
Members should also think in all families that loss a son or brother, and this due to the inefficiency of some people to allow the entry of individuals without review.
3.I have never fell insecure in the highschool because this is a place where you can be whit your friends and fell safe, but you never know what can happen there, because there are a lot of peole that you don t meet and also you on t know what they are going to do....
Well my opinion of this situation its that is very tragic and regrettable what happened, and that in Costa Rica has been increasing more and more violence, and unfortunately also in highschools and schools in our country, as well as a private or public, there have been many assaults and robberies, and unfortunately there have been murders too, as well as inside or outside the institution, and the students sincerely dont feel confident and safe to go to the school for fear that something bad can happen.
ResponderEliminarAnd I think the position of the Ministry of Public Education is to try to get more forms and ways of security for schools and colleges who are most in need and also occupy, and seek to ensure the safety of students and teachers. Highschools can have security cameras, the guards should ask for the identification of any person that going to enter in the institution, and also have some card or something to identify students.
And finally I've never had any reason to feel unsafe in my highschool because it is a very good highschool and security is very good too.
Ariana Madriz.
I think this is a very unfortunate tragedy in our country.
ResponderEliminarEspecially because it happened in a school where many students assist to lessons and most of them are minors. It is a school where security measures are not good.
MEP is one of the responsible for these tragedies happen, they should take stricter security measures in schools across the country and should meet frequently to monitor these measures.
Some precautions to feel safe at school can be: to hire better security guards, when a person from outside enters the institution, they should review their belongings. Every morning before starting the lessons students should be reviewed.
I have never felt unsafe at school, but there should be more security measures and everyone should respect them.
In these few years of my life, I feel that the country and the world have changed a lot since before they could get to play much in the night and there was no such danger as now, that neither the institution where they study not sure and starting the day, there is no security or peace in this country, so people do not want to leave their homes for fear of losing their lives just to get to the corner or on its own entrance.
ResponderEliminarThe MEP is being what is best for the entire student community about their safety in institutions of learning, they should hire more security personnel, and control the entry of not authorized persons or devices in an institution to that reduce or eliminate it completely non-human acts that have occurred in recent events, and all return to the same security and confidence to go to the institution without any risk.
At school I have not felt any insecurity and that have been taken respective measures to ensure that no student should feel it, but should be more attentive to people or cars entering the institution.
This country is every more dangerous every day, just today in the news they told that the police found 2 bodies, like 2 blocks from my house!
ResponderEliminarThere is crazy people out there; all the things happening in high schools all over the country, in the school from where I live, a kid kill herself. It is just no safe now.
I think the MEP should have done more for the security of the institutions, but it also depends on the institution and the students, because without the support from the students anything they try to do will work.
I personally have never felt insecure in the high school but I think they could improve the security (and they are!) so I don´t have a specific reason to feel insecure. Of course there is crazy people who walk in with 2 AK-47 and kill every one, but I don´t think that will happen.
-1) Well I think that it is very concern and very sad that someone dies in his own school, the violence and the murders are something that we can see in our country every single day; it’s pretty common now, but there is not only a problem here in Costa Rica; it’s a problem around the world. Now; people don’t feel safe even in their own homes, technically we live like in jail; we don’t have peace, we don’t have freedom, we’re prisoners in our homes. 2) With respect to the MEP I think that they have to be more attentive with the security in the schools, they have to be sure that the students will be safe in their schools, and obviously the institutions must ensure the welfare of the student community too. Some security precautions in the schools can be like have more security guards, have surveillance cameras, don’t let that particular people get inside in the institution without an identification, occasionally check out the belongings of the students and other things that makes the students feel safe in their schools; 3) I’ve never felt insecure in my school; in fact, for me is one of the safer places, because in this institution the security of the students is one of the most important things and I think that we have a very high level of security…
ResponderEliminarMarco Guie Salazar 10-6
It's not a secret that this society is getting crazier second to second, is very depressing to listen to these shocking news but It is getting very usual nowadays. It is time to get up from this evilness, to decide stop with this situations. MEP can bring us some ways to intensify the security in Highschools, but, until our mind get changed, this Costa Rican's situacion is going to continue. It's necesary that parents get notice of the behavior of his sons, they need to be under attention. Also it could be helpful to start using harder security systems in highschools, such as cameras, ask for some important information when a person is planing to visit the place,have some guards at the entrance of the institution, etc.
ResponderEliminarHowever, I have to admit that in my specific case, I feel extremely secure in my Highschool, I think guards,and the rest of the security system we have,are working excellent.
Well, I think that these accidents could not be happen if the guy receives a better education in his home, because all our actions reflect how we are in our house. Seeing that adolescents in Costa Rica are more conflicting, and every time we have a problem we solve it with violence, it is time that the corresponding institutions of the country confront these problems in youth society.
ResponderEliminarAs far as I'm concerned, the MEP has focused much on the education of Costa Rican youth, and neglected the student safety.
Some precautions can be that in the educational institutions, that has trained people to protect our security, promote the requisitioning in persons that enter to a high school, and establish rules for these people.
As for the insecurity in my high school, I never had problems that affect my safety.
Joyce Easy Chavez 10-6
I think is pretty sad because he was only a student, and he was killed for Some kind of gay relationship because the shooter was a little bit jealous because he was in a relationship with another guy, so for mer is pretty sad what people does for love.
ResponderEliminarNow I think MEP's position is right because students need to be protected because we are the future of this nation, so the MEP has to do a better Job to improve security in high schools particulary.
I have never been insecured in this high school because I think is pretty safety and for me all the changes are like an over reacted action because we are safe.
Jose Pablo Rodriguez Rojas 10-6
First I have to say that is a very sad event, our society is all about news of murders, robbers, rape and other evil things. On this case it is a really horrible situation because it was only a student and much worse other minor killed him. It’s important to notice how the shooter acted, using violence as the solution, this says a lot about the days we are living. This case it’s not the only that reflects our reality.
ResponderEliminarIn regards about the MEP position in this situation, all I can say is that if there could have been more security in the high school in Orotina, this wouldn’t have happened. Solutions to this may be that people can’t enter to the institutions without identification, hire more security and I personally think that parents and teachers could talk to the students could talk to the students about this kind of situations, mostly about how violence is never the answer.
I have never felt insecure in my high school. I believe is a very safe place to study.
viviana zúñiga ramirez. 10-6