Police Shoot Eight Grader with Pellet Gun in Texas

Texas police locked down a Texas Middle school today when an eighth grader decided to bring a pellet gun into school. Police claim that the eighth grader refused to put the weapon down and instead pointed it at police. More information here (in part below), but it already seems that folks are questioning whether or not the police should have shot when they did.

The Cummings Middle School student, who police did not immediately identify but whose godmother identified him as 15-year-old Jaime Gonzalez, was spotted holding the weapon in the school at about 8 a.m., shortly first period classes began, district officials said. School administrators quickly called police and ordered the lockdown.

As teachers locked their classroom doors and turned off the lights, some frightened students climbed under their desks for comfort. They could hear police charge down the hallway and shout “put down the gun.” Then several shots, three of them, most students said.

The officers shot the boy after he pointed the gun at them, Brownsville police detective J.J. Trevino told The Associated Press. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

“It’s still under investigation, as far as how he came about to bringing the weapon or if he encountered anybody or anything else,” Trevino said. The district issued a statement backing the police version of events, and police scheduled a news conference for later Wednesday to discuss the case.

Norma Leticia Navarro, the boy’s godmother, told The Associated Press she couldn’t imagine why he would have brought a gun to school.

“Jaime was not a bad kid, and I wish I could ask him why he did that, why did you put yourself in that position?”