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California: Husband Murders His Wife & an 8-Year-Old Boy at Elementary School

HeadlineApr 11, 2017

In San Bernardino, California, residents gathered Monday night for a vigil to mourn the deaths of 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez and elementary school teacher Karen Elaine Smith, who were murdered Monday morning when Smith’s estranged husband walked into her special education classroom at North Park Elementary School and began shooting at his wife with a high-caliber revolver. The man, Cedric Anderson, had a history of domestic violence. Karen Elaine Smith’s mother says she was planning to divorce him at the time of the shooting. Anderson shot and killed himself in the classroom, after murdering his wife, fatally wounding 8-year-old Martinez and injuring a 9-year-old student. This is San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan.

Chief Jarrod Burguan: “Cedric entered the classroom and, from what we understand, without saying anything, armed with a large-caliber revolver, opened fire on his wife. She was killed in that exchange. There are two students in the classroom that were behind the teacher that were struck by gunfire. One of those children is identified as Jonathan Martinez, common spelling. He’s 8 years old. He was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center via helicopter, airlifted out almost immediately, as soon as we can get resources there. Tragically, he has passed away.”

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