VLASENICA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
Student kills one teacher, wounds another before killing himself
Associated Press
A 17-year-old shot and killed one teacher and wounded another yesterday before taking his own life in front of 30 other students. Bosniaâs first school attack came three days after a deadly shooting spree at a German school.
The students ran screaming from the room after the teen-ager shot himself, leaving books and the wounded teacher in a pool of blood. Walls and benches were splattered with blood; bullets blew holes in the walls and shattered classroom windows.
Officials said the teen-ager, Dragoslav Petkovic, opened fire with his fatherâs 7.65 mm handgun shortly after noon at his high school in the eastern town of Vlasenica, about 30 miles northeast of the capital, Sarajevo.
Bosnian Serb Interior Ministry spokesman Zoran Glusac said the 11th grader killed his history teacher, 53-year-old Stanimir Reljic, in front of the school, then walked inside and shot math teacher Saveta Mojsilovic as she stood at the blackboard in front of her class.
Petkovic, who was described by the principal as ãquiet and sensitive,ä then put the gun to his head and killed himself.
The 50-year-old math teacher was being treated for her wounds at a hospital. Bosnian Serb radio said she was shot in the neck, but that her injuries did not appear life-threatening.
Police cordoned off the school with plastic tape and students were sent home. Officials said school would remain closed until May 7.
PHILADELPHIA
FBI releases detained flight passengers of Middle Eastern appearance
Associated Press
A jet that took off for Florida was forced to return to the airport because several passengers of Middle Eastern appearance had purchased one-way tickets with cash, passengers said yesterday.
ãThe FBI had a list. They knew who the people were. They were trying to track the people to their seats,ä said Jack Clark, who was sitting next to one of the people removed.
The incident was one of four Sunday in which air travelers of Middle Eastern appearance or descent were questioned by the FBI. The other flights were in Houston, Washington D.C. and Baltimore.
In all cases, the passengers were freed after questioning.
In Philadelphia, passenger Glenn Mattes said five or six men were escorted off the US Airways jet bound for Orlando, Fla. Clark said a federal agent told passengers the men had purchased one-way tickets with cash ãand thatâs what alerted them.ä
ãThe agent explained to us what was going on. At that point everyone is clapping and cheering,ä Clark said.
FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi wouldnât confirm the passenger accounts but said the suspicious passengers were interviewed and released early yesterday without being charged.
PHOENIX
House supports giving parents results of child-abuse investigations
Associated Press
Members of the House approved a bill yesterday that would allow parents to receive reports on the outcome of abuse or neglect investigations involving their children.
The bill (SB1022) would require the Department of Economic Securityâs Child Protective Services to provide those results whether a claim was substantiated or not. It passed on a 55-1 vote and now goes back to the Senate for consideration of a House amendment that would provide a copy of the results to a parent who is the suspect and a parent who reported the alleged abuse.
Under current law, such notice is provided to a person who reports the alleged abuse, but not to parents.
The original bill passed the Senate on a 27-0 vote.