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Fatal shooting at US Amish school Fatal shooting at US Amish school
(about 1 hour later)
A gunman has shot dead three girls and injured seven others before killing himself in an attack on an Amish school in the US state of Pennsylvania.A gunman has shot dead three girls and injured seven others before killing himself in an attack on an Amish school in the US state of Pennsylvania.
The attack happened in a one-room school in the village of Paradise near Nickel Mines in Lancaster County.
The gunman entered the class and ordered all the boys and some adults to leave. He then tied up the girls and began shooting them in the head.The gunman entered the class and ordered all the boys and some adults to leave. He then tied up the girls and began shooting them in the head.
Police named the killer as 32-year-old truck driver Charles Carl Roberts IV. Police named the killer as 32-year-old truck driver Charles Carl Roberts IV. He is not believed to be Amish himself.
These victims were shot execution style, shot in the head Col Jeffrey B MillerPolice commissioner href="/1/hi/in_pictures/5400616.stm" class="">In pictures: School attack The Amish are Anabaptist Christians who live away from the modern world, with restrictions on the use of modern devices such as cars and telephones. The attack is the third shooting at a US school in the past week.
The attack happened at a school for children aged six to 13. In the latest shooting, the gunman lined up the girls in front of the blackboard, tying their feet using wire or plastic cuffs.
Pennsylvania police commissioner Col Jeffrey B Miller said Roberts entered Georgetown School and began addressing the pupils, showing them an automatic handgun that he was holding. href="/1/hi/in_pictures/5400616.stm" class="">In pictures: School attack "It appears that when he began shooting these victims, the victims were shot execution style in the head," said Pennsylvania police commissioner Col Jeffrey Miller.
Col Miller said Roberts was also armed with a shotgun. The attack happened at a one-room school for Amish children aged six to 13 in the village of Paradise near Nickel Mines in Lancaster County.
Members of the tight knit community anxiously waited newsIn the classroom were 15 male pupils, 10-12 female pupils, one teacher and a number of assistants - older children and adults. The Amish are the Anabaptist Christian descendants of German settlers who reject many types of modern technology in their effort to lead a life true to holy scriptures.
He told the boys to leave, along with a pregnant woman and three women who had young infants with them. The teacher also managed to leave the classroom and made a telephone call to the police at 1036 (1436 GMT). They restrict the use of cars, telephones and television to varying degrees.
The gunman made the girls line up in front of the blackboard, where he tied their feet using wire or plastic cuffs. Col Jeffrey B Miller said the gunman entered Georgetown School in the morning, armed with an automatic handgun and shotgun.
He then barricaded the doors with large pieces of wood. He told the boys to leave, along with a pregnant woman and three women who had young infants with them.
Police arrived at the scene at about 1045 and set up a cordon around the school, Col Miller said. He then tied up the girls and barricaded the doors with large pieces of wood.
The officers tried hailing the gunman on their car loudspeakers, but were unable to make contact, Col Miller said. Police arrived at the scene at about 1045 (1445 GMT) and set up a cordon around the school, Col Miller said.
'Too late' The officers tried hailing the gunman on their car loudspeakers, but were unable to make contact, he said.
At this time an emergency operator in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, received a call from someone who said they had been called by the gunman. The Associated Press news agency quotes Col Miller as saying a person who visited the school passed on a warning from the gunman that he would open fire unless the police withdrew.
FACTS ABOUT THE AMISH Anabaptist Christian denominationCommunities in the US and CanadaMany communities reject links to outside worldMost Amish shun modern technology including electricity and carsPlain clothing - no buttons allowed in some communitiesSpeak English and a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch href="/1/hi/world/americas/5400904.stm" class="">Who are the Amish? In the phonecall, the gunman warned that if the police did not pull back from the area he would open fire on the hostages. As the message was going through shots fired in rapid succession were heard, Col Miller said.
This message was relayed to the officers at the scene, Col Miller said, but as the message was going through shots fired in rapid succession were heard. Police stormed the building, breaking the windows to enter. But by the time they got there three girls and the gunman were dead.
Police then stormed the building, breaking the windows to enter. But by the time they got there three girls and the gunman were dead.
Seven people were found injured, at least three of whom were shot in the head.Seven people were found injured, at least three of whom were shot in the head.
'Normal behaviour''Normal behaviour'
Col Miller said the girls had been shot one-by-one "execution style". Roberts was a local milk tanker driver who often picked up milk from Amish farms in the area.
The gunman was a local milk tanker driver who often picked up milk from Amish farms in the area.
A father of three, he had worked his night shift as usual on Sunday night, finishing at 0300 on Monday.A father of three, he had worked his night shift as usual on Sunday night, finishing at 0300 on Monday.
FACTS ABOUT THE AMISH Anabaptist Christian denominationCommunities in the US and CanadaMany communities reject links to outside worldMost Amish shun modern technology including electricity and carsPlain clothing - no buttons allowed in some communitiesSpeak English and a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch Who are the Amish?
His wife said he had seemed perfectly normal as he walked his children to the school bus at 0845, as he did every day.His wife said he had seemed perfectly normal as he walked his children to the school bus at 0845, as he did every day.
Suicide notes
However, when his wife returned to the family home around mid-morning she discovered suicide notes that he had written to each of his children.However, when his wife returned to the family home around mid-morning she discovered suicide notes that he had written to each of his children.
At 1100 she received a call from Roberts in which he said he was "not coming home" and that the police were with him.
The police said there were indications that he was motivated by an incident that happened some 20 years ago, but refused to go into details.The police said there were indications that he was motivated by an incident that happened some 20 years ago, but refused to go into details.
In a separate incident, two Las Vegas schools, one high school and one elementary school, were temporarily locked down while police hunted for a teenager spotted carrying a gun on the high school campus.In a separate incident, two Las Vegas schools, one high school and one elementary school, were temporarily locked down while police hunted for a teenager spotted carrying a gun on the high school campus.
These latest incidents follow a week of gun-related violence in US schools These latest incidents come at the end of a week of gun-related violence in US schools.
Last Wednesday a 16-year-old girl died when an armed man, who also killed himself, took six students hostage at a Colorado high school.Last Wednesday a 16-year-old girl died when an armed man, who also killed himself, took six students hostage at a Colorado high school.
And on Friday, a head teacher at a high school in Wisconsin was killed when he confronted an armed 15-year-old student as he entered the school.And on Friday, a head teacher at a high school in Wisconsin was killed when he confronted an armed 15-year-old student as he entered the school.
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