Gun vs. Club.....and why you should carry two guns.

[Magiccarpetrides]

FRESNO, Calif. — A police officer shot and killed a 17-year-old high school student Wednesday after authorities said the teenager clubbed the officer with a baseball bat on the packed, urban campus.

The officer fired at the student shortly before noon, after the Roosevelt High School sophomore allegedly came from behind and struck the officer in the head with a crude wooden baseball bat, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said.

The officer fell down dazed, and reached for the gun in his hip holster, but the clip fell out.

As the student came at him a second time, the officer grabbed a secondary weapon — a semiautomatic handgun he carried as backup — from his ankle holster and fired one or two rounds, Dyer said. The student reportedly died within a few minutes.

"The officer was fortunate that he was able to defend himself," the chief said. "This officer had a secondary weapon that very likely could have saved his life."

The cause of the attack was not immediately known, and the officer did not know the student, Dyer said. There was no history of prior run-ins between the teen and the officer, who has been assigned to the school by the police department for the last three years, he said.

Police did not immediately release the identities of the officer or student, who was described as a Fresno resident who transferred to the school in January. The teenager was 6 feet tall and 250 pounds — larger than the officer, authorities said.

The officer was released from a local hospital Wednesday afternoon after being treated for a two-inch gash on the right side of his head, police said. He will be placed on administrative leave while the department reviews his conduct, Dyer said.

At least five students and a probation officer on campus witnessed the incident directly, but no one else was injured in the shooting, police said.

The campus was locked down for several hours as detectives combed the white school buildings and interviewed witnesses.

An automated system called all parents in the district to notify them of the shooting about three hours after it occurred, and parents of Roosevelt High School students received a second message stating that all students and staff were safe an hour later.

"The school district obviously is very saddened by this tragedy on campus, however our students on campus are safe," said Ruth Quinto, acting superintendent of Fresno Unified School District. "There certainly will continue to be support provided to all of our students here on the campus and, in particular, any witnesses to this tragedy."

Six extra district psychologists will be sent to the school Thursday to counsel students and staff, said district spokeswoman Susan Bedi.

By 2 p.m., students were allowed to leave the campus gates, where they found a crowd of nervous parents and family members waiting.

Dana Vasquez, a 14-year-old freshman, was on her way to gym class when the situation erupted in an outdoor hallway between two buildings.

"I just saw a bat swinging in the air and heard a gunshot and then I just started running," Vasquez said. She was visibly shaken when she left the school holding her mother's arm.

Ray Mendez, a volunteer at the school, said he was speaking to a remedial English class when he heard a loud popping sound outside the classroom.

"That's went I went down and saw the young man lying there and the officer was bleeding from his head. This was a real shocker. We try to prevent these kind of events at all costs," Mendez said.

Silvia Carrillo, whose daughter is a sophomore at Roosevelt High, said the shooting did not seem justified.

"My son and my brother went to school here too, and nothing like this ever happened. I think this wasn't enough for him to kill the kid," she said.

-----Geez...gimme a break...someone hits me in the head with a bat they are most definitely getting shot. I think the officer definitely did the right thing.

[Guest EasilyObsessed]

You hit an officer over the back of the head with a baseball bat...and you just signed your death certificate in my eyes.

[Guest ScottD]

Was he carrying a Mosin Nagant for his primary weapon? They said the clip dropped out.

[molonlabetn]

or, a Garand... that WWII/Korea era when it was used was where the term took hold, and became the universal misnomer for any removable ammunition-holder.

[Guest Mugster]

In one of these things, when they say the campus is "locked down", are they locking the students in so they can't leave?

[Guest titanwolf]

Wait, A person swinging a baseball bat, not to mention striking you or the officer in the head is not reason enough for a officer or anyone to shoot him?

I wonder if a person was swinging a bat at her, would she want an officer to let him keep doing it and not fire at him?

Geeezzz

She is a trouble maker, it will be a racial issue before it's over with.

[Mike.357]

how would a clip fall out of a mosin nagant? The clip hold the rounds until they are shoved into the magazine. I can understand rounds falling out if the magazine opened but not the clip falling out.

[strickj]

Man,some people kill me

Common! A 250lbs guy hitting me in the f-ing head is gonna get him shot,But add a ball bat and I might shoot him twice

[Marswolf]

Oh, I don't know. According to gun grabbers, if there were no guns there than everything would have been fine.

And it's a clip.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Marswolf

[memphismason]

WOW!

I wonder who made the bat. They should be sued. Making a dangerous weapon, who do they think they are.

[Marswolf]

It was a crude wooden bat. Is there a crude wooden bat making company?

[Mike.357]

crude wooden bat

oh so the bat falls under the guise of a primitive weapon. Just goes to show you that all bats are evil not just the tactical aluminum automatic bats.

I am down with the old stuff, I have a Jackie Robinson Louisville Slugger at home. It is the first line of in house defense. I tell you , if you break into my house you would rather get shot buy my 9mm than hit in the head with this hunk of lumber.

I have no doubt this aged and hardened piece of ash will flat lay a person out.

[strickj]

Im just thankful he didnt have a bat with a pistol grip

[Guest db99wj]

Im just thankful he didnt have a bat with a pistol grip

or sawed off.

[Marswolf]

We should ban the sale of bats less than 60 inches long.

[Guest harbinger]

We should ban the sale of bats less than 60 inches long.

Oh, and black ones, 'cause they're scary and evil.

[strickj]

And dont forget about those mean little corks,and grip tape

[Guest jackdog]

Great, now I have to gid rid of my bat collection, that's just crap. I was carry one when we go out to eat.

[Marswolf]

I can tell you how to hide your bat collection so even the dead bat dogs can't find them!

[ZenDog]

I'm gonna pack all of mine up in cosmoline and put them in the bat cave until the BATFE goons give up the bat hunt.

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

Silvia Carrillo, whose daughter is a sophomore at Roosevelt High, said the shooting did not seem justified.

"My son and my brother went to school here too, and nothing like this ever happened. I think this wasn't enough for him to kill the kid," she said.

Wonder what she'd be saying if someone went upside her daughters head with a bat.

[Guest nj.piney]

maybe thats where the first three letters of batf come from?

[Guest dotsun]

I'm buying an evil black bat with a folding stock, bayo lug, accessory rail, and aimpoint clone next week. I just hope I can afford baseballs for it.

[EMTRN]

(Silvia Carrillo, whose daughter is a sophomore at Roosevelt High, said the shooting did not seem justified.

"My son and my brother went to school here too, and nothing like this ever happened. I think this wasn't enough for him to kill the kid," she said.)

I'm glad Silvia was there to give us her very important opinion based on her superb grasp of the law.

[DWARREN123]

Real simple, hit me up side the head with a bat (crude or otherwise) and see what I do if I am alive and moving!