Adult High School
300 Rochester St.
Ottawa, ON   K1R 7N4
Tel: (613) 239-2707

3 STABBINGS AT ADULT H.S.

    This morning, Wednesday March 28, 2001, I was on the OC TRANSPO going to school like any other day.  This time running a few minutes late, that of which was on my mind.  As the bus neared the school I noticed flashing lights and crowds of students outside the school.  Seven police cars, three ambulances, and two fire trucks all packed together was the second thing I noticed as I stepped off the bus.  I joined the crowd of people and asked a few students if they knew what had happened.  Nobody knew and we were all a bit curious.  Police officers, medical personnel, and fire fighters came to and from the building.  Soon enough we got our answer as they wheeled out three young men on stretchers, one after the other, all sedated.  I noticed the blood stains on the sheets covering them and was suddenly reminded of a survey on school safety that was handed out in class a few days prior to this tragic incident.  I was also reminded of the many school shootings which were in the news not too long ago. 

    Our principal came out of the school and told everyone to go to the auditorium.  Once in the auditorium, a police officer announced to us that school was cancelled and that we were all witnesses and must remain there until spoken to by a detective.   He explained that they needed all the information they could get.  Most people got upset and grew impatient, but not I.  I was too busy thinking over the situation and scanning the crowd for a friend of mine.  Where was she??  I feared for her.  Once the officer left, a group of people descended towards the exits.  Shortly after, another group of people exited the auditorium.  Suddenly all that were left of the witnesses were a handful of about twenty students (of the fifty or so to begin with).  Three people were stabbed, with minor injuries (thank god), and relied on our help to catch the ones responsible.  I stayed put and couldn't believe what I was seeing.   Some students didn't even seem to care about what had happened earlier.  I could overhear them talking and laughing about their weekend and what have you.   "It couldn't happen to me", was the general consensus among them, I guess.

    They all eventually came back because the exit doors were locked, we were trapped.  Soon enough, the principal told us that we could go if we had no information for the police and so most of us left the school through the parking lot; away from the press.  Today was.. interesting.  I was late this morning, but it didn't matter, and had the rest of the day off because school was cancelled.

 

- Aaron Orchard,  March 28 (10:30am)

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