Students recount terror amid Nev. middle school shooting

Siobhan McAndrew | Reno Gazette-Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Student: He fired a shot at the teacher and we ran A middle school student describes the scene he witnessed as a fellow student shot a teacher Monday morning.

Police have not identified the shooter and have not determined a motive

Two students are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries

A candlelight vigil is planned outside the school Wednesday

RENO, Nev. -- When the bus pulled up in front of Sparks Middle School at 7:07 a.m. Monday, Seth Hinchberger did what he always did.

The eighth-grader walked to the back of the school toward the cafeteria and basketball courts.

"It was a regular day, I got off the bus and I wasn't expecting anything," he said.

But that was the day a student armed with a semiautomatic handgun opened fire outside the school, wounding two 12-year-old boys before killing a popular teacher and taking his own life in a 3-minute span.

Math teacher Michael Landsberry, 45, and the suspected shooter were pronounced dead at the scene.

"It feels like a nightmare," Seth said later Monday night. "I'm going through the motions."

Police did not identify any of those involved in the shooting, but family members confirmed that Landsberry, a Marine Corps veteran and member of the Nevada Air National Guard, was the teacher killed.

The two wounded students were in stable condition at a Reno hospital as of Monday, said Sparks Deputy Police Chief Tom Miller. One boy was shot in the shoulder and the other in the abdomen. The injuries were not life-threatening.

"This is just a very sad day for us, a very tragic day," said Washoe County School District Superintendent Pedro Martinez.

Washoe County School District police chief Mike Mieras said law enforcement were on scene in less than three minutes.

Police have not identified the suspected shooter. A few students said they knew the seventh-grader — one student said they recently met and talked about video games.

Officials said Monday their investigation is in its early stages and would not speculate on a motive. More details are expected to be released Tuesday.

Sparks Middle School will be closed the rest of the week.

A candle light vigil is planned Wednesday in front of Sparks Middle School to honor the victims of the deadly shooting and district officials said more than two dozen school counselors and psychologists are working with state and federal personnel to coordinate counseling services for students, staff members, and families.

Morning of terror

Seth tossed a football with friends as they waited for the first bell to ring at 7:30 a.m. He said school doors in the back of the building weren't yet open.

"Some kids eat breakfast so we all go to the back of the school," said Seth, 13.

Eighth-grader Michelle Hernandez usually takes the bus, but on Monday her mom dropped her off at school at 7:13 a.m.

She too walked around the back of the school as she talked to two friends about their fall break last week.

Monday was the first day back.

Jorge Martinez, 13, was talking football as he got off the bus and walked toward his locker just past the cafeteria in the school's south wing

"We were talking about how the 49ers beat the Titans," Jorge said.

Jorge stopped to talk to Landsberry, who was monitoring students as they arrived Monday morning. Students said teachers would take turns greeting students before the first bell rang at 7:30 a.m.

Monday was Landsberry's turn.

"I was asking him about what we were going to learn today," Jorge said. . "He was telling me we were going to learn about exponents and multiplying exponents."

That's when Jorge saw a student with a gun shoot at the ground. The shooter was waving the gun up and down and yelling.

"He was talking to another kid, trying to scare him, I think."

Eighth-grader Xena Allen was just a few feet away.

"He kept saying 'get down, get down,' " said Xena, of the suspected shooter. "He pointed the gun at (a boy) and then he shot him."

Jorge said the student walked quickly toward Landsberry, who was standing near the north hall a few yards away.

Xena said Landsberry was trying to stop the student.

"'Put it down. It's not worth it,'" Xena said, recalling Landsberry's words.

Landsberry told Jorge to run.

"Run as fast as you can," Jorge said Landsberry told him. "Get to a safe place. Something really bad might happen."

"He faked like he was going to give the gun to him and then he shot him," Jorge said, as he turned to watch his teacher fall to the ground.

The first calls to police were made at 7:16 a.m.

Police said the city's 911 emergency center was "flooded with calls."

"I heard Mr. Landsberry say, 'Drop your weapon,'" Seth said. "I watched the kid shoot him in the chest and he flew back on to the pavement."

Seth started running with the group of students to a courtyard area between the school's east and south halls, near the school's gym.

It's where Michelle ran, too.

"The boys just kind of decided to protect us," she said. As she crouched down between the two halls up against a wall. A row of boys crouched in front of her. A friend called 911.

Seth crouched down, too.

"I didn't want to be the only one standing," he said.

Others in the group of about 35 students starting calling police and parents. The group watched other students scatter in the fields behind the school, some jumping fences and running into the neighborhood.

Eighth-grader Kyle Nucum said he and a group of friends ran off school property.

"When we were running we heard four or five more shots. And we just got somewhere safe and this lady let us into her house," Kyle said.

'I'm alright'

Back on campus some students said they were trapped between two wings of the school.

"We knew the doors were locked and we were trapped," Seth said. "We all decided that the girls should go in the back behind us.

"My job was to tell the group what the shooter was doing so I had to watch him."

As students called the police, Seth tried to relay details about the shooter as the student came closer.

"Be quiet. Try not to be noticeable. Just say strong," Seth whispered.

Seth said he saw a science teacher look out a window as the shooter came closer.

"He fired two shots but they didn't go through the window," he said.

Michelle said the suspected shooter seemed furious.

"I heard him saying, 'Why are you people making fun of me? Why are you laughing at me?'" she said.

The students stayed quiet.

The shooter turned around and saw another student just arriving, Jorge said.

Jorge heard the student shout, "Hey...Dude. Just stop it."

Seth watched as the shooter pointed the gun at the student. The student fell backward, shot in the stomach.

Seth said when the alleged shooter heard sirens, he walked away.

Authorities would later find the shooter dead from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound.

Seth borrowed his friend's cellphone and dialed.

"Hi mom it's Seth. I'm alright and you don't have to worry. I'm at a school."

A 'hero' teacher

It came as no surprise to Landsberry's family that he is being called a hero for trying to get a student to put his gun down before being shot and killed.

"To hear he was trying to protect those kids, that he stepped up and tried to stop the situation, doesn't surprise me at all," said Chanda Landsberry, who is married to Michael's younger brother, Reggie. "He could have ducked and hid, but he didn't. That's not who he is."

"He was trained to help."

Chanda Landsberry said her brother-in-law, who leaves behind his wife and two stepdaughters, loved teaching.

"He loved his school kids. He loved the Guard," she said. "It defined him."

Contributing: Reno Gazette-Journal reporter Guy Clifton