McDermott: Reaction to latest school shooting

Anne McDermott

CNN National Correspondent Anne McDermott went to El Cajon, California, where a student allegedly took a shotgun to Granite Hills High School to gun down the vice principal.

Q: What's the mood in town?

McDERMOTT: When I talked to people in town about the shooting most were clearly stunned, especially since the Santee shooting was less than three weeks ago and the school involved in that shooting is just 10 minutes down the road from here.

Q: Who do people blame?

McDERMOTT: One woman who was clipping a poodle in her dog grooming shop wondered aloud if stress was to blame -- if children today were simply under too much pressure.

But a few doors down, a young Navy man using a laundromat said no amount of stress could cause this rampage. And he added that he just can't understand why anyone would bring a gun to school.

Another woman eating at an outdoor table at a Mexican restaurant said this is what happens when you remove God and corporal punishment from the schools.

Q: What are parents saying?

McDERMOTT: Parents of students at Granite Hills High School stood close by their children Friday in front of the school at the memorial of balloons and cards and posters for shooting victims and worried aloud about whether they should let their children return to school Monday.

Gun battle ends school shooting
March 22, 2001
Teen shooting suspect grew depressed prior to shooting, paper says
March 18, 2001
Father of alleged school shooter 'scared for his son'
March 16, 2001
Funeral held for California school shooting victim
March 10, 2001
Brian Palmer: Issues old and new confronting teens
March 9, 2001
Security tight after school shooting threat
March 9, 2001
An epidemic of violence
March 8, 2001
Terror, heroism fill high school hallways
March 8, 2001
School shooting arraignment postponed
March 7, 2001
The Secret Service's findings on school shootings
March 6, 2001

Granite Hills High School
San Diego County Sheriff

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.