FL - Clay Duke fired shots, killed self at Panama City school board meeting

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One man has been taken out of the school board offices on a stretcher and appears to be dead, according to a reporter on the scene. The reporter was told the only injured person was the gunman.

A reporter has confirmed that former School Board member and district security chief Mike Jones shot the gunman. Another News Herald reporter was being held as a witness to the incident.

No citizens were injured, according to the latest reports.

A video broadcast by WJHG News Channel 7 shows a man near a door painting a "V" on the wall in red spraypaint, then circling it in spraypaint.

Reporter Nadeen Yanes told her TV station that he then pulled a handgun and started talking, according to The Asscoiated Press.

School Board member Ginger Littleton struck the gunman with her purse and he pushed her to the ground and started firing randomly.

Snipped from http://www.newsherald.com/news/nelson-89321-panama-report.html
 
3:47 p.m., a gunman was shot and is reported to be dead after taking over the school board meeting today.

Reporter Daniel Carson was in the room and here is his account, given after making a statement to police:

"They had just got into the action item portion of the agenda, having a discussion about a revision to school board policy. This guy had been sitting in the back of room, not acting erratically or anything. He got up and walked to podium, but I couldnt see that he had a gun.

"He pulls out a can of red spray paint, muttered something like 'you're a bunch of assholes' to school board ... and draws on the wall a red circle with 'v' through it. He pulls out this gun that turned out to be a cap gun, I think, and he started talking to the school board and told everyone to clear the room except the men on the school board.

"Then Ginger Littleton, I think, swung her purse at him. Nobody knew it was a cap gun. I couldn't tell if he hit her or not, but looked like she kind of went down. She's not injured by the way."

(snip)

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/city-35730-panama-school.html
 
Ms. Littleton is a brave woman indeed!! Are we certain that all are safe and accounted for? My brother was a superintendent of schools in the Los Angeles District for 30 years and I worried so much about him. He had some crazy people show up over the years.

What is the significance of the "V"? Was this guy a parent or a local person?

My prayers go out to all those touched by this trauma.
 
Some students had been in attendance but after their awards had been presented, most of the gallery had left before the board began the business portion of their meeting.

Constantly updated stories at all local news sources:

http://www.newsherald.com/

videos of event here http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/home/

different angle/closeup videos here http://www.wjhg.com/ good view of Ms Littleton's whack at the gunman with her purse. I think she was trying to knock the gun from his hand but didn't have enough force.... anyway, I think all thugs should have gotten the message to not mess with this lady!

The security officer, a retired policeman, shot & killed the gunman then was admitted to the hospital with chest pains. In one of the videos, it's clear that he was upset after the gunman went down. One report is that 15 to 20 shots were fired. This incident ended in the best possible way, no innocents were injured.
 
Thank god this guy was such a terrible shot. Pretty creepy though when he raised that weapon all nonchalantly.
 
daisy7 said:
3:47 p.m., a gunman was shot and is reported to be dead after taking over the school board meeting today.

Reporter Daniel Carson was in the room and here is his account, given after making a statement to police:

"They had just got into the action item portion of the agenda, having a discussion about a revision to school board policy. This guy had been sitting in the back of room, not acting erratically or anything. He got up and walked to podium, but I couldnt see that he had a gun.

"He pulls out a can of red spray paint, muttered something like 'you're a bunch of assholes' to school board ... and draws on the wall a red circle with 'v' through it. He pulls out this gun that turned out to be a cap gun, I think, and he started talking to the school board and told everyone to clear the room except the men on the school board.

"Then Ginger Littleton, I think, swung her purse at him. Nobody knew it was a cap gun. I couldn't tell if he hit her or not, but looked like she kind of went down. She's not injured by the way."

(snip)

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/city-35730-panama-school.html
Click to expand...

By this report, it was NOT a cap gun. The gunman fired real bullets--he just missed, thankfully! It's hard to believe he missed at that close range, but it almost looked like he didn't really want to hit them--the way he was waving it around. He did kill himself with the same gun too, though, I believe. It sounds like that may have been his main intention?

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/14/official-gunman-killed-fla-school-meeting/
 
"our benefits have run out ... we're broke ... see what I'm sayin'?"

he seems to be slurring (drunk?)
 
Benny08 said:
Thank god this guy was such a terrible shot. Pretty creepy though when he raised that weapon all nonchalantly.
Click to expand...

I don't even know why this man would do such a stupid thing. He was standing feet from them. Even an unexperienced shooter could have shot these people. I don't really think he wanted to shoot anyone. He wanted to terrorize them into thinking he would, imo.

He seems to have gone nuts over his wife losing her job. Maybe he was unemployed too. Does anyone know what he did for a living?

I really think he came in there knowing he wasnt going to be leaving alive.

I am so glad that there were fast thinking people in there though and that everyone wound up ok except for the terrifying experience they endured.

I think more and more of these type of cases will happen. People are just so tense, edgy and angry about so many things these days, imo.

IMO
 
Criminal record of gunman.

fran



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/14/national/main7149634.shtml

Gunman Kills Self at Fla. School Board Meeting

Police Say 56-Year-Old Man Shot Himself after Firing Gun in Meeting Room; Security Guard Exchanged Fire with Gunman



After Duke, an ex-convict, fires the shot that missed Husfelt, district security chief Mike Jones, a former police officer and board member, entered and exchanged fire with Duke, wounding him, police Sgt. Jeff Becker said.

Duke then fatally shot himself, Becker said. The video shows a distraught Jones, with his gun at his side, being comforted by colleagues as he says he had never shot anyone before. SWAT team officers then storm in and order everyone onto the ground. School officials tell them that Duke is shot and appears dead. His feet can be seen near the board's seats.

School officials in the Panhandle city said late Tuesday that Husfelt and Jones would not be made available for comment.

State prison records show Duke was charged in October 1999 with aggravated stalking, shooting or throwing a missile into a building or vehicle and obstructing justice. He was convicted and sentenced in January 2000 to five years in prison but was released in January 2004. They also show that Duke was a licensed massage therapist before his arrest.

Reporter Daniel Carson of the Panama City News Herald told his paper that he had noticed the man during the meeting and he didn't appear agitated.

Witness Leon Walters said the gunman was a heavy, disheveled man who walked along the side of the room to the podium.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
One of the members of the board (maybe the superintendent) stated that he would go to his grave knowing that a higher power stopped those bullets from hitting him. After seeing the video a gazillion times, I tend to agree with him... He pointed that gun point blank at him and fired. It is a true miracle he was not shot in the head or chest.
 
less0305 said:
One of the members of the board (maybe the superintendent) stated that he would go to his grave knowing that a higher power stopped those bullets from hitting him. After seeing the video a gazillion times, I tend to agree with him... He pointed that gun point blank at him and fired. It is a true miracle he was not shot in the head or chest.
Click to expand...

I can't believe how close he was to all of them and missed. So sorry that he felt this was the only solution, but so glad he didn't hurt anyone else.

I am very impressed with how calm they managed to stay, and also have to shout out to the woman who nailed him with her purse. She is so brave! (obviously her purse is more cleaned out than mine, b/c he wouldn't have gotten up if I hit him! Too much crap in there!)

So so so scary!
 
less0305 said:
One of the members of the board (maybe the superintendent) stated that he would go to his grave knowing that a higher power stopped those bullets from hitting him. After seeing the video a gazillion times, I tend to agree with him... He pointed that gun point blank at him and fired. It is a true miracle he was not shot in the head or chest.
Click to expand...

If further information comes out about this man I bet he was familiar with firearms.

He did point but IMO he knew he was not going to shoot them but shot close by them to terrorize them.

If he had really been a murderer he would have shot the woman in the head as she lay at his feet after she struck him with her purse.

IMO
 
I agree, he didn't really want to kill them. What a brave woman... kudos to her.
 
interested in hearing more details......there's got to be more? was his wife fire or layed off....i read that umemployment ran out....so, just curious
 
http://gawker.com/5713637/the-facebook-suicide-note-of-school-board-shooter-clay-duke

The Facebook Suicide Note of School Board Shooter Clay Duke


On Tuesday, 56-year-old Clay Duke engaged in a bizarre standoff with a school board, killing himself after a security guard wounded him. His motives are still unclear, but his Facebook profile indicates that he never expected to survive.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=181809

Friend: School Board Gunman Clay Duke had 'Borderline Personalities'

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A Facebook friend says she wasn't shocked to hear that Clay Duke, 56, opened fire at a Bay County School Board meeting Tuesday.

Holly George says she and her mother have known Duke for about two years.

"My mom said he had borderline personalities," George told 10 News Reporter Janie Porter early Wednesday morning.

"It always creeped me out when he asked me to shave my head like Natalie Portman [as she appeared in the movie 'V for Vendetta']."

Tuesday, police say Duke came into the school board meeting in Panama City, complained about his wife's firing and then opened fire.

No one was hit.

Duke exchanged fire with the school security chief and eventually shot and killed himself, police said.

Duke's Facebook page said he attended King High School in Tampa and graduated in 1972.

Before the shooting, witnesses say Duke drew a red 'V' on the wall of the meeting chambers and then circled it. It's the same symbol used in the movie V for Vendetta.

George said that was Duke's favorite movie.

"He'd watch it over and over again," she said.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
It's not easy, especially with a .45, to handle the gun, maintain a steady hand, keep your eyes on the target, deal with the recoil, and manage to hit what you're aiming at. Add to that the possibility of liquor, and I'm not surprised that he didn't hit anyone. And add further to it not knowing who or what is behind you, and wondering if another person with something more than a purse is coming at you, and you've got a good chance of missing your target.

I also do not discount God in the mix, ever.

All I can say is that this is one of the scariest vids I've ever seen, and would love to buy them all dinner, especially Ginger. She simply rocks.

Thank God it ended as it did, with no further injuries or death. The school officer is a hero in my book.

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Herding Cats
 
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