Rep. Patmon wants law for metal detectors like Cleveland has in aftermath of Chardon school shooting that left 2 dead, Kasich calls for prayer

Ohio State Rep. Bill Patmon (D-Cleveland)

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R-OH)

Suspected Chardon High School Gunman Thomas "TJ" Lane

From the Metro Desk of The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com and Cleveland Urban News.Com(www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com) and (www.clevelandurbannews.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio-Following the aftermath of a shooting Mon. morning by a craze student in the cafeteria of Chardon High School that left two students dead, three others hospitalized, and a town in grief, a state legislator is calling for metal detectors in all of Ohio's public schools.

"What happen is horrendous and you have to wonder what is going on in and out of our schools for this type of hate and destructive behavior to occur, " said state Rep. Bill Patmon (D-10), a Cleveland Democrat. "I would support a state law for a requirement for all Ohio schools districts to install metal detectors in all of its schools."

Community activist groups such as The Imperial Women have asked Patmon to lead the charge for Ohio to put children first by introducing a bill that makes it illegal for public school districts to not have metal detectors in its schools, given the educational climate in Ohio, and nationally.

They say that it is time for educational priorities to change, while reminding Ohio legislators that the Ohio Constitution gives the state legislature the responsibility of ensuring access to a thorough and efficient education to all of Ohio's children, inclusive of school safety policies void of negligent criteria that might not pass constitutional muster.

A city of some 5,000 people that lies 35 miles east of Cleveland that is roughly 98 percent White with families with a median income of $46 thousand annually, the quiet town and tight-nit community of Chardon has become Ohio's Columbine, and in an overnight fashion.

The 17- year old suspect, later identified as Thomas "TJ" Lane, targeted a table of five boys, witnesses told police, and in particular the teen that was allegedly dating a former girlfriend that had reportedly jilted the loner.

He remains in police custody and has not yet been charged.

Lane lived with his grandparents and was from a broken home.

His father has a felony rap sheet including a plea deal that got him four years in prison on a reduced charge from original charges of murder and kidnapping.

After the shooting two students were taken by ambulance to Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Hts. and three were taken by helicopter to Cleveland's Metro-Health Hospital.

Dead are 16-year-old Daniel Parmertor, the teen that his classmates said was the target for allegedly dating Lane's former girlfriend, and 17-year-old Russell King, Jr, whom doctors declared brain dead. Both were shot in the head.

The other three victims remain hospitalized.

Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) on Tues. ordered that the Statehouse flags be flown at half-staff in memory of the two fallen students as he prepared for a evening vigil and memorial.

"Please join me in praying for the students who've been injured in this horrible crime," the governor said in a press release shortly after Monday's terrible shooting."Praise goes to the Chardon police and Geauga County sheriff's office for quickly getting this situation under control. I've pledged Ohio's full support to them, the school and the local community in this difficult time."

Witnesses said that Lane, who has no criminal record, was chased out of the school by brave and determined assistant football coach Frank Hall, now a hero who is believed to have save lies.

He surrendered to police hours later.

Unlike the Cleveland Municipal School District that now has metal detectors in all of its schools, the Chardon schools did not have that luxury.

"Yes mam," said Cleveland schools spokesperson Brenda Morris," We have metal detectors in every one of Cleveland's public schools.

Cleveland schools met tragedy with a school shooting three and half years ago that brought national attention, but it in no way compared to this week's Chardon fiasco, by some standards.

That shooting occurred in Oct. 2007 at the district's Success Tech High School where.

then 14-year-old freshman Asa H. Coon shot two students and two teachers before committing suicide on the fourth floor of the building.

Coon fit a profile similar to that of Lane. He was White, male, and an outcast.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who controls the city schools via state law, ordered the metal detectors after the Success Tech incident, a project that schools officials said began in the high schools and was completed district-wide two years ago. He had no comment on the Chardon tragedy.

"No comment," said Jackson's press secretary Andrea Taylor.

The East Cleveland City School District, a majority Black impoverished school district like Cleveland that borders Cleveland, has metal detectors in Shaw High School, its only high school, and at Heritage Middle School.

Warrensville Hts. High School, which serves the majority Black city of Warrensville, also a Cleveland suburb, has metal detectors too.

But the nearby Shaker School District and the bordering Cleveland Hts-University Hts schools do not have them, something typical of middle class and upper middle class largely White school districts, until tragedy strikes.

Reach Kathy Wray Coleman by email at kathy@kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, and by telephone at 216-932-3114.