Girl, 15, fatally shot at Florida school
by The Associated Press on Nov. 13, 2008, under Education, Nation/World, SpecialFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 15-year-old girl was fatally shot at a Fort Lauderdale high school Wednesday during an argument with another female student who now is charged with murder, police said.
The body of sophomore Amanda Collette was found on a hallway floor at Dillard High School around 11 a.m. She was shot in the torso while students were changing classes. Teah Wimberly, also 15, was charged with first-degree murder and discharging a weapon on school property, police said.
“This is a situation where we are more than heartbroken,” said Jim Notter, the superintendent of schools for Broward County.
Wimberly left campus and walked across the street to a restaurant where she called authorities and told them that “she had shot her friend,” said Sgt. Frank Sousa, a police spokesman.
After the discovery of the body, police said they did not believe anyone heard gunshots, and an initial examination found no major wound on the girl’s body.
Authorities later confirmed the shooting and Sousa said it was possible a smaller-caliber gun was used and the wound closed around the bullet. A motive was still being investigated.
The school was locked down for a short time, but classes soon resumed. Still, as police were announcing the fatality, gates were chain-locked and access was being restricted. Several dozen parents had gathered outside after finding out about the shooting, some openly weeping.
“I’m just trying to get my baby out of here,” said Betty Barnes, whose 15-year-old daughter, Tiffany, is a sophomore at the school. “I want to make sure she’s OK. It’s very scary not knowing.”
