School Suicide Shooter- What Went Wrong?

By Kimberly Curth Weekend Anchor / Reporter
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Jajuan Holmes had his an entire life ahead of him, but he decided to kill himself in front of his classmates at Davidson High School.  What went wrong with Holmes and how do we make sure something like this never happens again? School Suicide Shooter- What Went Wrong?
Published: Tue, May 06, 2008 - 5:04 pm
Kimberly Curth
Kimberly Curth
Jajuan Holmes had his an entire life ahead of him, but for whatever reason he decided to end it all at just 18 years old. On March 6, 2008, the Davidson High School student brought a gun on campus and ended his life in front of his classmates. The suicide sent his school into chaos. Holmes was a suspect in three armed robberies. His story is just one example of juvenile crime in our area. But what went wrong with Holmes and how do we make sure something like this never happens again? The News 5 Crime Solutions Task Force has been investigating.

We talked with Holmes' grandmother, Pastor Juliette Marshall, "there was no sign of anything wrong. He was just the same Jajuan that we see," said Marshall.
We asked Marshall what she thinks happened that day, " I wished I knew. I wished I knew what pushed him," said Marshall.

But, Jajuan grabbed headlines long before his suicide at Davidson. In February, he was charged with three armed robberies. News 5 also learned he had been suspended from school the day before his suicide, "I heard about it when Jajuan called me and said Grandmama, I'm in jail and I said for what and he said, they said, got me for robbery, I said robbery? You? He said Grandmama, it ain't what you think, that's all he said," said Marshall.

Marshall says that's not the Jajuan she knew, "I just don't know the Jajuan that everyone depicted. I just don't know him, that's not my Jajuan, that's not the Jajuan that lived in my home, that's not the Jajuan that was a member of this parish," said Marshall. She says the grandson she knew was a good kid, who was involved with the church, an honor student, he was even an aspiring marine.
So what went wrong? "Whatever happened, it was more than he could deal with and that's what bothers me. I wished I knew what happened to my Jajuan, cause, what I am hearing is not, I can't accept it," said Marshall.

Now, her grandson is gone. She just wishes she could have talked to him before it was too late,"if he had called me that day, the night before, whichever, I believe everything that's in me, Jajuan would be here today," said Marshall.

We asked her what the community can do to make sure this doesn't happen again," we got to stop being so quick to judge every kid," said Marshall, "My cry is to the community, let us all come together."



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I think that at times we just put to much on our youths. They are taking college courses in High School; WHY??  We just expect WAY to much from them and expect them to grow up to fast!!! Young people are to stressed out and always in a rush that they don’t have time to relax and enjoy their teenage year anymore.  Way to much presser on them!!  I don’t think that you can always put the blame back on the parents.  It needs to be placed on the entire society!! It is a shame that our world has come to this.  My son just graduated last night and I would be so lost if I didn’t see the day that he was able to walk across that stage.  I feel so sorry for those parents and his loved ones.

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drugs!

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What is going on with todays kids? I just dont understand why there is so much violence in todays youth. Do you really think video games and movies have dirven them to this? I think it goes a LOT deeper than that.

JJ
http://www.Ultimate-Anonymity.com

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I agree with you Bamabob, It’s a shame that other’s do the same or just give up and We can only blame ourselves as parents because we push them to succeed or we ignore them as to much of a drain on our time.  We fail to realize or admit that we don’t know everything, We want ask for help before major problems occur, We don’t try to understand or talk it out, We just say things like, As Long As You Live In My House {you know how it goes} and other power play statements.  It’s not the kids who are Juvenile deliquents it’s really us because we act juvenile in our priorities and deliquent in our responsiblites, So it’s very very hard for kids to be better than the enviroment in which they grow. They are scared to talk about peer things, they are not allowed to enjoy being kids, they are expected to be little adults, I will stop here

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Maybe his story will resonate with teens who are troubled. Maybe his story will cause them to ask for help when they’re in over their heads. 

Very sad, indeed.

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This story has always made me feel very sad.  He was such a young guy and he kept piling up problems until he felt totally helpless and hopeless at the age of 18.  If the right person had intervened much earlier, a difference could have been made in this young man’s life.

So sad.......

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