CLEVELAND — Parents and neighbors are calling for heightened security following yesterday’s deadly shooting at John Adams High School.
“It’s just a terrible thing, you take your kids to school and you’re supposed to have peace of mind while they are at school,” said Jennifer Haugen, mother of a student at JAHS. “You’re not supposed to worry. You’re not supposed to worry if they’re coming home today.”
Just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, an 18-year-old student, later identified by the medical examiner as Pierre McCoy of Cleveland, was at the bus stop near Corlette Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, according to CPD. An unknown man wearing a black puffy coat, ski mask, jeans and boots walked up to him and shot him multiple times, police said. The shooting happened as about 25 bystanders were at the bus stop. The shooter fled the scene after firing the shots.
RELATED: Student shot and killed at bus stop near John Adams high school in Cleveland
Haugen said she’s outraged. Her son was close friends with Pierre McCoy.
“He’s very hurt right now, they rode the bus together and waited at the bus stop together,” Haugen added.
Haugen said it could have been her child.
“He stayed after to see about work with his English teacher to keep his grades up, or else he would have been outside,” Haugen said.
Just last month, another teen was shot and killed at a nearby recreation center. Neighbors say the violence must stop.
“We have to do something, we just can’t sit back and wait on Jesus,” said Marvetta Rutherford. “That’s not going to work.”
Children’s Hospital Surgeon in Chief, Dr. Edward Barksdale, calls the 24 hours after a traumatic event the golden hour. It’s a time he encourages parents, school leaders, and community members to talk and hold in nothing.
“We know that psychological trauma can often get embedded into the psyche and not to be expressed for years down the line, months, two years down the line,” said Barksdale. “So it is crucial for people to have open discussions.”
RELATED: Dozens of people at bus stop when CMSD student was shot, police say
Haugen and her son left balloons in honor of McCoy, hoping it brings some closure.
“It affects him on deep levels because he’s still a kid,” said Haugen. “He’s just a teenager trying to figure out how to grieve. He’s not supposed to have it figured out yet.”
Haugen wants better security in and around the school grounds.
“I think instead of just having security guards that can check them when they come out of the building, there needs to be an actual officer, that has the ability to actually to do something at the school.” Haugen added.
Classes are expected to resume tomorrow, as well as the bus route McCoy was trying to take home.
“I’m just sick of it,” said Rutherford. “I really am, I'm just sick of it.”
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