15-year-old Arkansas boy fatally shot at junior high on first day of in-person class



A 15-year-old Arkansas boy was fatally shot at school on Monday, the first day his junior high resumed in-person learning after the building was closed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Officials believe the victim was specifically targeted by the suspect, another 15-year-old boy, who has been taken into custody.

What are the details?

Law enforcement was called to respond to a shooting at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Pine Bluff at around 10:00 a.m., where they found the victim near the school's office suffering critical injuries from a gunshot wound, KTHV-TV reported. The young man was rushed to a local hospital, where he passed away.

Following the attack, a lockdown was imposed and a SWAT team was reportedly deployed to sweep the building and clear it.

After the news broke, parents rushed to the school to pick up their kids — just hours into the students' first day back in classrooms after being shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Washington Examiner noted that the school had also experienced "water issues" that impacted the timing of returning to in-person learning.

Parents are lining up to pick up their students at Watson Chapel Jr. High after the school lifted its lockdown. Mul… https://t.co/RkAJKPB2av
— Shelby Rose (@Shelby Rose)1614621112.0

According to ABC News, the Watson Chapel School District said that all other students in the school were unharmed, calling the shooting an "isolated incident." Police said the motive is unclear at this time, but they do not believe the attack was random.

The Pine Bluff Police Department said that the suspect was apprehended behind a house near the school with the assistance of an Arkansas Department of Corrections K-9 unit, and is now at a juvenile justice facility awaiting charges. PBPD Chief Kevlin Sergeant said a decision is expected within the next 48 hours as to whether the alleged perpetrator will be tried as an adult.


'They want their babysitters back': CA school board busted mocking parents who want in-person class



A California school board is under fire after members made a series of comments mocking parents who are pressing for in-person classes, with one member claiming such parents just "want their babysitters back" and another suggesting parents want their kids out of the house so they can smoke weed.

The conversation occurred during a meeting members thought was private, but it was actually open to the public and the recording has gone viral.

What are the details?

In the recording of the Oakley Union Elementary School District board meeting on Wednesday, members spent time celebrating the prospect of modifying its system for allowing people to make public comments, suggesting folks be made to call in their remarks which would be cut off automatically at three minutes.

At one point, member Kim Beede expressed frustration over a complaint against her that was posted on social media, before she said, "You know what? Are we alone?" Then mocked whoever posted it, laughing, "B****, if you're gonna call me out, I'm gonna f*** you up. Sorry, that's just me."

Member Lisa Brizendine then weighed in, saying, "They forget there's real people on the other side of those letters that they're writing."

"They don't know what we know behind the scenes," Brizendine continued, adding, "it's really unfortunate they want to pick on us because they want their babysitters back."

A third member, Richie Masadas, agreed, saying his brother owned a delivery service for medical marijuana and "clientele were parents with their kids in school." Other members laughed as he mocked then that "when you have your kids in school...No more puff puff give."

At around the 7:25 mark, one member says, "Uh-oh...we have the meeting open to the public right now," and another responds with dismay, "Nu-uh" while a third echoes, "Great."

Oakley Union Elementary School Board Meeting www.youtube.com

In reaction to the video and public outcry, Oakley Union Superintendent Greg Hetrick told Fox News in a statement:

"Last night at the Oakley Union Elementary School District Regular Board Meeting there were unfortunate and truly inappropriate comments made that were heard by many,. The comments made were not in alignment with our vision and are definitely not what any of us stand for as leaders. I know that we lost trust with the community. I will not make excuses for what happened or why it happened."

A petition has been launched calling on members to resign over the "very disrespectful" comments, saying that during the meeting, "parents were tuned in to learn if we will be sending our kids back to school soon and if not, why. There has been a lack of communication from the board and this was the first communication we heard."