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Funeral today for teen killed in Oregon shootings
Peek Wounded student describes being shot
May 25, 1998
Web posted at: 2:02 p.m. EDT (1802 GMT)In this story:
SPRINGFIELD, Oregon (CNN) -- The first of four funerals from the Thurston High School shootings was scheduled for Monday afternoon. As plans proceeded to hold services for 16-year-old Ben Walker, his classmates were allowed to visit the school cafeteria where the shootings occurred as part of their healing process.
Student Richard Peek, who was chased by alleged gunman Kip Kinkel, 15, and shot in the left arm, said he expected returning to the scene to be a "disturbing" experience.
"The gunman followed me and I ran," Peek, 17, told CNN in a live interview Monday. (
281K/27 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)
Kinkel, a freshman at Thurston, is in custody on four counts of aggravated murder.
He's accused of killing his parents, William and Faith Kinkel, in his home before Thursday's rampage at the school, which left two students dead and 22 wounded. Two of them remained hospitalized in critical condition.
Suspect under suicide watch
Kinkel Kinkel's sister, Kristin, a college student in Hawaii, reportedly has returned to Springfield and was in seclusion with friends and relatives.
Kinkel was on suicide watch at a juvenile detention facility, monitored by closed- circuit television. He is dressed in paper clothes to prevent his hanging himself or causing other injury.
"I think he should spend his life in jail because of the families he hurt and all the destruction he caused," Peek said.
Kinkel allegedly pulled a .22-caliber semiautomatic rifle from underneath his trench coat and fired 51 rounds into the crowded cafeteria. Police also found five sophisticated bombs and 15 other inactive explosive devices in the Kinkel house.
Police have school surveillance video
On Sunday, police said they won't comment publicly any more about evidence in the case in order to protect Kinkel's constitutional rights. They acknowledged they have videotape from a school surveillance camera but refused to say what is on the tape.
Thurston High School was scheduled to be closed Monday for the Memorial Day holiday. But school officials decided to open it between noon and 3 p.m. so that students and their parents can return to the scene and meet with counselors in advance of Tuesday's scheduled return to classes.
Services for Walker, who was shot in the head, were to be held at 2 p.m. at the Springfield Faith Center, where an overflow crowd was expected.
A funeral will be held Tuesday for the other slain student, Mikael Nickolauson, 17.
Correspondent Greg LaMotte contributed to this report.
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Related stories:
- Cafeteria where Oregon students shot reopens Monday - May 24, 1998
- Sheriff: 'Warning signs' preceded Oregon school shooting - May 24, 1998
- Kinkel lunged at officer with a knife after arrest - May 23, 1998
- Accused Oregon school shooter shows no emotion in court - May 22, 1998
- Bombs found in Oregon shooting suspect's home - May 22, 1998
Related sites:
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- Eugene Free Community Network
- Springfield, Oregon Public School District
- Springfield Chamber of Commerce
- Welcome to Springfield, Oregon
- National Center for Education Statistics
- National Alliance for Safe Schools
- Gun-free Schools Act of 1994
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