Amish school death toll rises

[Ray]

Amish school death toll rises

By Damien McElroy in Nickel Mines
(Filed: 03/10/2006)

# Audio: Gunman blamed God for hurt in his life
# Tears for a murdered sister
# Video: Execution-style killings that stunned America
# Ben Fenton: understanding in a mad world
# Amish: reclusive, pious and pacifist

Two young Amish girls died today, raising to five the number of pupils killed when a gunman opened fire in their school in Pennsylvania.

Amish school after the killings
The killer was not a member of the Amish community

The two children were aged seven and nine and died within hours of each other at separate hospitals this morning.

A spokesman at Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey said the parents of the seven-year-old girl were at her side when she died. “She was taken off life support and she passed away shortly after,” said Amy Buehler Stranges.

The nine-year-old died at Christiana Hospital in Delaware. One other girl remains in critical condition and another four are described as stable, Pennsylvania state police said.

It emerged today that the killer, Charles Roberts, 32, a lorry driver and father of three, lost a child three years ago.

When asked about possible motives for the killings, Commissioner Jeffrey Miller of the state police said the death of his child “had something to do with his state of mind”.

“He may have been angry with God for having lost a child,” he said.

Roberts is also said to have been acting out of revenge for something that happened 20 years ago, although police have so far failed to elaborate on what could have occurred in his early life to prompt such a crime.

He burst into the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Lancaster County shortly before 10.30am local time yesterday, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, a shotgun, 600 rounds of ammunition, two knives a hammer and a hacksaw.

Roberts released about 15 boys, a pregnant woman and three women with infants, barred the doors with desks and wood and secured them with nails, bolts and flexible plastic ties. He made the girls line up along a blackboard and tied their feet together.

He then shot his victims at close range, execution style, firing into the back of the head, police said. Two pupils aged between six and thirteen died at the scene and a teacher’s assistant, thought to be about 15 years old, was also killed.

At 11am yesterday, Roberts called his wife to say he was “acting out in revenge for something that happened 20 years ago”, according to police. He then shot himself.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../03/uamish.xml

It is amazing that there has been a series of such shoot outs in quick sucession this month in the US.

What could be the reason that this type of school shoot outs, hostage taking etc is becoming some sort of a copyright with the US?

I ask with all humility since it worries me that because the US is a pacesetter of sorts, some freak elsewhere may copycat the US killings and think he is one great hero!

I have/ had been watching this live frrom yesterday on the CNN.

He had spoken to his wife before the killing stating that it was for revenge of something that happened to him 20 years ago.

Further, in the CNN live telecast, it was said that he had barricaded with 2 by 6 and 4 by 6. What are these?

[ChrisF202]

Peices of wood, he also had 600 bullets, toilet paper and food. He was apparently ready for a long seige.

Then again, why did he shoot himself when the troopers showed up?? Very sick people do wierd things.