Red Cross holds blood drive for victims of school shooting

Ian C. Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat UA Carpentry Shop employee Willie Cupp gives blood yesterday afternoon in the Red Cross's Blood Mobile. The current blood drive is in honor of the Littleton, Colo. victims wounded Tuesday.

"This is a response to the phone calls and people wanting to do something," said Robin Jensen, an American Red Cross spokeswoman. "We need to have blood on the shelf to go to when stuff like this happens."

About 44 pints were donated yesterday at two University of Arizona locations. The blood could be sent to the victims of the Columbine High School shooting, Jensen said.

A Tuesday shooting spree by Columbine students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, has left 14 people in the hospital. Officials said eight additional victims were in critical or serious condition last night.

Before apparently committing suicide, the two gunmen killed 12 students and an instructor during the rampage that may leave the suburban high school closed through the end of the semester.

To aid the victims, about 49 pints of blood have already been sent to the Denver area, said Vikki Fernette, an American Red Cross donor recruiter. However, Fernette said she is unaware if the blood originated in Tucson.

Jensen said the pints that were donated today may also be used in the southern Arizona region because it lacks O-positive and O-negative blood.

As of yesterday morning, the American Red Cross had about seven pints of O-negative blood in their southern Arizona supply, but at least 80 pints are necessary at all times, Jensen said. The organization also had about 60 pints of O-positive blood, despite a minimum of 250 pints, she said.

Jensen said O-negative is safe for all people, and is typically used in crisis situations when victims are losing blood.

"I'm sure O-negative is playing an important role for the patients up there (in Colorado)," she said.

About 38 percent of the population have O-positive blood, she said. About 8 percent of the population have O-negative blood type, the universal blood type, Jensen said.

The American Red Cross' blood supply, however, would be insufficient to help the victims if a similar incident occurred in Tucson, Jensen said.

"That's the danger," she said. "We really don't know."

Accounting and finance junior Gena Gourley said she felt "good" about donating to the Colorado high school shooting victims.

"That was such a tragedy," Gourley said, who has donated blood about six times in her life. "They need blood right now."

Pre-nursing freshman Meghann Mayrand said she wanted to help the sick and was pleased she could help the 22 hospitalized victims.

"I would give my blood to anyone," Mayrand said. "It is wonderful it can be used for them."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.