Police probe US school shooting and suicide

Investigators in Pennsylvania were today searching for a motive after a 14-year-old schoolboy with no history of disciplinary problems shot dead his headmaster and then turned a gun on himself.

People who knew James Sheets described him as quiet, a member of the school football team and an avid skateboarder and basketball player.

“We don’t know why today. And we don’t know why, period,” local police chief Walt Hughes said after the shootings yesterday. “I think it’s safe to say that something was building inside of him that he couldn’t control.”

About 350 students were in the cafeteria before classes began when the shootings occurred at Red Lion Area Junior High School.

Headmaster Gene Segro, 51, was shot once in the chest with a .44 calibre Magnum and was dead on arrival at hospital, county coroner Barry Bloss said.

Sheets died at the scene from a single shot to the head fired by what police believe was a .22 calibre weapon, he said.

Police said Sheets was also carrying a .357 calibre Magnum. They believe he acted alone.

“All of a sudden, he just stands up and shoots the principal .... and then I saw him shoot himself in the head,” said Angel Williams, 14, who knew Sheets and was sitting at a nearby table with her sister and friends.

The guns Sheets allegedly used in the shootings belonged to his stepfather, police said. Sheets had used a key to remove them from a safe at his house, police said.

Officials did not know of any school or legal problems the boy was facing, and said his mother, Angelia Baker, and stepfather, Arthur Baker, had not seen any warning signs.

Police later searched the Baker home, seeking computer files, notebooks, weapons and other items, according to a search warrant. They removed a computer and numerous bags and boxes, officials said.

Danica Shirey, 14, whose locker is next to the one Sheets used, described him as a boy who never got into trouble and who was friendly with everyone, although he rarely spoke unless spoken to first.

“He never had a problem with anybody,” she said.