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The Pearl, MS School Shooting of 1997
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:03 pm
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:03 pm
Two years before Columbine, a loser named Luke Woodham stabbed his mother and went to Pearl High School and started shooting.
He killed two and was reloading when the shooting stopped.
“Drop it Luke”
"Why'd you do it?"
“Life has wronged me, sir”
You see the media never talks about this one. It was stopped when an assistant principal retrieved a pistol from his truck and held the shooter at gunpoint until he was taken into custody. Yes, two died, but it could have been so many more.
The thing that always intrigued me by this story is that despite killing his mother and walking into a high school intent on killing many more, he still had enough respect to call his principal sir.
Edited: I misremembered detail that did not change the spirit of the story. A good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy.
He killed two and was reloading when the shooting stopped.
“Drop it Luke”
"Why'd you do it?"
“Life has wronged me, sir”
You see the media never talks about this one. It was stopped when an assistant principal retrieved a pistol from his truck and held the shooter at gunpoint until he was taken into custody. Yes, two died, but it could have been so many more.
The thing that always intrigued me by this story is that despite killing his mother and walking into a high school intent on killing many more, he still had enough respect to call his principal sir.
Edited: I misremembered detail that did not change the spirit of the story. A good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy.
This post was edited on 2/21/18 at 8:29 pm
15
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:04 pm to anc
quote:
principal retrieved a pistol from his desk
Yeah, I'd call him "sir" too.
Shooter may have been crazy, but he wasn't stupid.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:06 pm to anc
Idiot left ammo in car and went back to reload. Gave myrick his chance. I’ve seen the crime scene photos. The horror.
This post was edited on 2/21/18 at 7:14 pm
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:08 pm to anc
quote:
He killed two and was reloading when the shooting stopped.
He was using a lever action rifle and still killed 2 while injuring 7.
Would have been much worse had he been using an AR-15, but I'm glad the principal had the gun nonetheless.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:10 pm to slackster
Myrick was on the National Guard pistol competition team.
This post was edited on 2/21/18 at 7:14 pm
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:10 pm to anc
Interesting story anc, thanks for posting it. I'm gonna look it up and keep it filed for future reference.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:10 pm to slackster
I just heard some moron talks about Columbine being the first.
They don’t talk about Pearl because it ended the way it did.
They don’t talk about Pearl because it ended the way it did.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:11 pm to anc
Joel was a tremendously courageous man. Because I would have shot the kid and not thought twice about it.
ETA: Changed name of principal. Still would have shot him.
ETA: Changed name of principal. Still would have shot him.
This post was edited on 2/21/18 at 7:13 pm
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:12 pm to anc
quote:
He killed two and was reloading when the shooting stopped.
“Drop it Luke”
“Yes, sir”
Ehh, not sure how accurate this is anyway.
quote:
The school's assistant principal, Joel Myrick, retrieved a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol from his truck and, spotting Woodham attempting to flee the parking lot after the shooting, shouted for him to stop. Realizing what Woodham was doing, another student used his own vehicle to block Woodham's path, at which point Woodham attempted to get around the obstruction by driving his mother's car onto a grass verge, only to end up getting stuck in the grass. Seizing his opportunity, Myrick ordered Woodham out of the car at gunpoint and detained him until police arrived at the scene.[1]
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:12 pm to slackster
quote:
Would have been much worse had he been using an AR-15
Or any one of the hundreds of semi-automatic pistols.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:12 pm to anc
quote:Actually, he went to his truck to retrieve the weapon.
assistant principal retrieved a pistol from his desk
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:12 pm to slackster
quote:And it probably would have been a lot better (or the same) if the principal had a gun on him instead of having to get it from his truck.
He was using a lever action rifle and still killed 2 while injuring 7.
Would have been much worse had he been using an AR-15, but I'm glad the principal had the gun nonetheless.
The point is that the gunman probably would have kept shooting until he was out of ammo and the bodies were stacking up unless someone with a gun stopped him.
This post was edited on 2/21/18 at 7:13 pm
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:13 pm to FooManChoo
quote:
The point is that the gunman probably would have kept shooting until he was out of ammo and the bodies were stacking up unless someone with a gun stopped him.
Agreed.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:14 pm to Wolfhound45
Guns aren't the problem, this is:
There's just too goddamn much of that mindset.
quote:
I would have shot the kid and not thought twice about it.
There's just too goddamn much of that mindset.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:15 pm to WildTchoupitoulas
Save your faux angst. He forfeited his right to life when he began to take the lives of others.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:15 pm to slackster
Sorry. I misremembered the location of the retrieves pistol. Read the wiki as well.
One of my good friends was a student there when it happened. He was on a different floor and was never in danger, but remembers the aftermath.
One of my good friends was a student there when it happened. He was on a different floor and was never in danger, but remembers the aftermath.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:16 pm to Azkiger
quote:
Or any one of the hundreds of semi-automatic pistols.
Probably, although this was during the assault weapon ban, so the magazine would have likely had 10 rounds or less at the time.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:17 pm to anc
quote:
David, I receive your sermons through the mail. I am one of the school shooters. I'm the one they blame for starting it all off. On October 1, 1997, I went into Pearl High School and killed two students and wounded seven. I also killed my mother before this. After I came to jail I got saved. If there is any way that I can help your ministry, I would love to. Maybe I could give you my testimony. I’ll do anything to help. I look forward to your sermons each month…
Woodham doing the Christian thing from prison.
EDIT: Didn't know this, but his case was a conspiracy. Several other kids were accused of helping plan it. Two of them were convicted, but their sentences were light.
This post was edited on 2/21/18 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:19 pm to AUstar
It’s interesting.
As I recall he was involved with a group of kids that claimed to be Satanists they tortured pets and stuff but it was just a group of losers.
As I recall he was involved with a group of kids that claimed to be Satanists they tortured pets and stuff but it was just a group of losers.
Posted on 2/21/18 at 7:20 pm to slackster
quote:I worked a prison ministry with one of the 7 that was injured.
while injuring 7.
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