Parma students will return to school Friday following the death of an 18-year-old student Monday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the cafeteria at Valley Forge High School. Officials detailed plans for the return to school in a press conference Wednesday.
Parma City School District Superintendent Scott Hunt and Parma Heights Police Department officials also responded to rumors and concerns that have swirled in the wake of the incident. They said there is no evidence of any further threat to the school district after the incident. Sergeant Eric Taylor also said the police department's investigation so far suggests the student did not intend to harm anyone else other than herself. She obtained the gun from a family member of hers, he added.
Hunt said the district will continue to provide additional mental health support and have an expanded security presence over the coming days as school gets back into session. Many students and staff were present inside the cafeteria in the high school when the shooting happened.
"This unfortunate situation has also caused a great deal of fear in our school community among students and families about school safety and security in Parma City Schools," Hunt said. "We understand that many families have questions and concerns regarding safety, including how a weapon could have entered our school. At this time, specific details related to this incident including any prior concerns, remain part of the active investigation."
Hunt and local law enforcement officials said they are reviewing the district's safety plans for the future, including whether or not the district should consider adding metal detectors to school entrances. Local Parma schools parent Matthew Myers started a petition in the wake of the shooting to call on the district to do exactly that.
"It is troubling to think about the measures we take to secure courthouses, government buildings, and even concert venues by utilizing metal detectors to prevent weapons from entering, but yet these same safety precautions are not implemented in our schools," Myers wrote on the online petition.
Parma Heights Mayor Marie Gallo called for more funding for school safety measures for Ohio schools.
"I think it's very important going forward to have a discussion with our legislators about how we bring funding to the schools for additional safety, because it's extremely expensive," she said
Officials said the investigation into the incident is ongoing, and nobody has been charged related to the incident.
Support is available for those struggling with mental health by calling 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
