Teens held hostage in Marinette WI

What would you do if you were held hostage? Imagine if you were fifteen years old and one of your classmates came into the classroom with a gun. This is exactly what happened to Zach Campbell who was held hostage at his school in Marinette Wisconsin. When I read this article I was shocked because Marinette is not far from La Crosse. I can only imagine the terror that the students went through along with the teacher.
According to the superintendent Tim Baneck who said “the student started class without any weapon, he asked to use the restroom, and when he returned he was carrying the duffel bag containing the two guns and ammunition” (para 12). It is frightening to think that this fifteen year old boy was able to get the two guns, a 9 mm semi-automatic and a .22 caliber semi-automatic with the ammunition into the school. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if it were my child being held hostage. What I don't understand is, why didn't the superintendent question him or wonder why he came out with a duffel bag if he didn't have one before he went into the rest room. Wouldn't that automatically set off a signal.
The gunman came into the class room and shot the projector while the class was watching a movie. He then fired again and told everyone in the class room to place their cell phones in the middle of the room, the gunman ended up breaking his phone in half after his phone rang (para 14). Everyone including the teacher tried to stay calm, after about six hours he let five hostages go, and then later he let the rest, twenty three hostages go. The teacher Valerie Burd tried her best to keep everyone calm and she did a great job dealing with the situation, Even though the gunman had no interest in talking to her. He did talk to the class mates that he held hostage and they tried their best to talk to him so that he wouldn’t flip out.
Zach, one of the hostage, said the gunman looked depressed but probably did not want to harm anyone( para 3), the police have no idea what the gunman’s motives were. The police heard three shots and broke down the door, as the officers approached him, he shot himself. He is in bad condition, “grave condition,” his name has not been released. I can just imagine what his parents are going through, this morning I heard on the radio station. The gun mans uncle saying that he couldn't believe that his nephew would do such a thing that it wasn't like him at all. I believe that when someone is depressed or broken, you have to search deeper, look closer and listen. I am sure the gunman had some problems and maybe he was depressed.
This whole incident makes me feel sad; it makes me wonder why a fifteen year old boy would do this to his classmates, to his teacher and to himself. What could be so bad that would drive this boy to go on a rampage? Whatever his reason is no one knows. I hope that the school will get past this along with the parents whose kids were held hostage like Zach Campbell and the teacher Valerie Burd. I am glad that non of the hostages were hurt.


Richmond, Todd. "Updated: Teen in Shooting in Grave Condition." La Crosse Tribune - LaCrosse News Source. 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. .