Man Shoots Wife at Ohio School, Police Say

Man Shoots Wife at Ohio School, Police Say

www.nytimes.com

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) -- A teacher's husband charged into her fifth-grade classroom Thursday morning, then stabbed and shot her as students watched, police said. He later was found dead in his home after apparently shooting himself during a standoff with police.

The teacher, Christi Layne, was in critical condition at Cabell Huntington Hospital in nearby Huntington, W.Va., a hospital spokeswoman said.

The shooting happened around 9 a.m. at Notre Dame Elementary, a Catholic school on the main road of a town in southern Ohio near the border. Student Emmaly Baker said she hid in the classroom's coatroom when the gunman came in.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is an example of a situation that involves a person that was intent on killing, who understood the situation and took advantage of it. Unpredictable. Unstoppable. Yet another example of how the victims can be put at extreme disadvantage. Thank God the shooter did not harm any children, and had the honor to take himself out.

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 7-2-2008 by Areal51]

If only she got a restraining order on him things would have been different.

This is why I avoid "gun-free" zones at all costs.

I wonder if this will influence the situation in Oregon with the female teacher who actually does have a restraining order on her ex who has repeatedly threatened her life and the school refuses to allow her to carry her concealed pistol on school grounds?

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


It's not the wife's fault. You can't blame her for anything. And, also, the situation between her husband and herself is not yet clear. Apparently, according to the article, there was a third person, a woman, who was stabbed prior to the wife being stabbed and shot. The authorities believe that the crimes are connected. How they are connected and the motive is not yet clear.

Another woman was stabbed in town before the shooting, and authorities believed it was connected to the teacher's shooting, Portsmouth police Capt. Rob Ware said. He did not elaborate. The woman was being treated at a Columbus hospital, but her condition was unavailable.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
If only she got a restraining order on him things would have been different.

Do you really think a restraining order would stop someone from doing this? I don't think so. I've known plenty of people who have restraining orders on their ex's and that does not stop them from harrasing them. All the police do is question the man or woman if they are not caught at the scene.

There is another shooting very close to home. Please stop by the thread and lend some kind words:

www.belowtopsecret.com...'

The thing about this case is that a knife and a gun were used by the suspect. He apparently stabbed the first victim, then went on to stab his wife at the school where she worked. It seems the guy knew that he probably would not be able to shoot the first victim, and then continue on to shoot the second victim. He knew that he had to create as little commotion as possible, and that using a knife was the perfect silent weapon. No court orders or laws would have deterred him from his target. He was determined and since it's obvious that he knew where the other woman would be relative to when his wife would be easily located in her classroom, it seems obvious that that the suspect would have planned whatever was necessary so that he would have been able to kill them both. Scary. He knew what he was doing.

Originally posted by Areal51

This is an example of a situation that involves a person that was intent on killing, who understood the situation and took advantage of it. Unpredictable. Unstoppable.

[edit on 7-2-2008 by Areal51]

This is why we need tracking/bio chips, increased school security/metal detectors/bio sign readers, body searches, and locked down schools... You can't predict a situation like this, so you have to prepare for it.

Hey! But that would be an invasion of privacy! A restriction of MY freedom to go kill someone or sneak my weapons/guns/drugs around, Jesus! NWO!!! ALERT!!! CONTROL!!!

Yes! But it's okay, as long as people have the freedom to sneak around and kill people by surprise.

It's all about freedom ATS!

Never forget! Let freedom ring! Let freedom ring!

Gun control? Psshhh. That's a violation of my freedom! Body searches? VIOLATION!!! Walking through a metal detector or a machine reading my bio signs? VIOLATION!! Students tracked, and ID Card needed to enter classroom?!?!?! VIOLATION!!! BZZZZZ!!!! TRACKING MY KID LIKE CATTLE? NO WAY! VIOLATION!!! NWO!!!!

God forbid they put a metal detector and a armed security guard who does a body search on you when you enter the grocery store or the mall!!

VI- OHHH -OHHH -OHHH - LAY---- SHUN!!!!

Come on ATS, this story is the perfect example of the need for increased security for public places, schools, and the like. This guy could have easily taken out the whole classroom - with YOUR KID IN IT.

You see, the arguments made by most, in the context of REALITY, do not hold any weight, and look rather foolish.

You *will* love the NWO - or we will exterminate you.

Originally posted by Areal51
.... and had the honor to take himself out.

wait, im sorry, WHAT? Honor?
how can you fit "honor" in this sentence...

i think you meant to say "cowardly" or shamful or anthing else...

he couldnt face the consequences so he blows his brains out; somehow that seems honarable... and after walking in a class full of kids and shooting at his own wife after stabbing her?

But sorry. I digress.

back to topic.

-----

reply to post by benign.psychosis


Someone that intent on killing another human being could do so even with a biochip that knew their location, a strip search at the metal detecting door, a restraining order, etc. Just walk in calmly and snap their neck with your bare hands. Voille'. All your NWO safety measures still would not have saved the victim.

Personally, I'd rather take my chances with angry ex's, potential date rapists, psycho serial killers, etc. rather than surrender my freedom and privacy to the VIOLATION committed by the real terrorists: NWO elitists and their obedient quislings.

reply to post by GavCg


No. I meant honor. The suspect was a disgrace to himself and society. After attempting to kill another woman outside of the school, and his wife in the classroom in front of elementary school children, he should have relieved the burden of himself off of society. It's a relief to the world, in my opinion. He did the right thing. If his wife and the other woman survive, they will not have to worry about the threat of him ever again, and the school children would also know that he is never coming back again. That's a good thing.

The restraining order bit was obviously sarcastic. Why else would I follow it up with "this is why I avoid "gun-free" zones"? Did you read the end of the post about the teacher in Oregon who isn't being allowed to carry at her work despite the threats her ex has made against her? Where did you get that I was blaming the wife for being shot to death?

Did you read my post at all or just see a few random words and make your own conclusion?

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


I read the whole thing several times before I responded. The point of my reply was that there was very little information available at the time for anybody to really know what had happened. Your mentioning of a restraining order seemed intentional and without sarcasm. The bit about "gun-free zones" was obviously sarcastic, but I chose to ignore that. In other words, the first half of your statement didn't translate well. If you had made the remark about the restraining order and gun-free zone in the same paragraph, I would have understood that both statements as being sarcastic.

Also, I didn't comment on the second half of your statement because I'm unfamiliar with the story. That situation definitely raises questions, but I didn't want to get that topic and the topic of the OP confused. I didn't want to go off-topic with another case so soon with another case that seemed somewhat similar in circumstance.

The story of the OP has been updated to reveal that the wife had filed for divorce in late January of this year, and that she feared that her husband might try and kill her. So your intended sarcasm about the restraining order has more relevance now. The irony of it is more pronounced.

Updated news on the case:

TThe 53-year-old teacher, Christi Layne, underwent surgery and ''should be fine,'' her lawyer told The Columbus Dispatch. Personnel at Cabell Hospital in Huntington, W.Va., where she being treated, would not release her condition Thursday night.

Police originally said William Michael Layne shot his wife at Notre Dame Elementary, but Chief Charles Horner said it was unclear whether a gunshot fired in the school hit her.

Christi Layne had filed for divorce Jan. 25.

''She was terrified something like this would happen,'' said Rebecca Bennett, Christi Layne's attorney.

Police had been involved in a domestic dispute between the Laynes about two weeks ago, Horner said, without elaborating.

The 56-year-old suspect, known as Mike, was a retired assistant director at the city's water distribution plant. He apparently shot himself in the head with a shotgun, Coroner Terry Johnson said. He was found in the garage behind his house, Horner said.

Freeland, 37, who often talked with the suspect, said that the couple had separated last summer and that Layne had been acting strangely for several months.

''At nighttime, he was out digging up his yard at 1, 2 in the morning,'' he said.

www.nytimes.com...

It seems there is little doubt that the suspect had a problem with rage, and that he also was somehow communicating that he was going to harm is wife. There is no information on why he was digging in his back yard after midnight, but if that's related to what he did to his wife, that he was preparing a grave for her, then that's even more reason to be thankful that he is gone.

It seems the wife will survive. That's good. Hopefully she'll make a full recovery.