Third-Grader In Critical Condition After She Was Shot In Classroom

[Whisper]

BREMERTON, Wash. (KTLA) -- A 8-year old girl is in critical condition after being shot and wounded in a third grade classroom.

The shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m. at Armin Jahr Elementary School, near Seattle
Authorities say the 8-year old girl was shot in the stomach.

She was airlifted to a hospital in Seattle in critical condition.

Police say a 9-year old classmate is being detained in connection with the shooting.

They say a gun was recovered in the classroom.

It was not immediately known whether the shooting was intentional or the result of an accident.

One parent, whose daughter is in second-grade at the school said that what a parent wants to know is "who did it, what happened and is my kid OK?"

The parent, who identified himself as Doug, said that his daughter is a student at Armin Jahr and is in second grade. He also has a niece and nephew that attend the school.

He was on his way to pick up his daughter and said "this is what I walked in to."

[...]http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-third-grader-shot,0,1217849.story

[Morbid]

BREMERTON, Wash. – An 8-year old girl is in critical condition after a gun being carried by a 9-year-old classmate accidentally discharged*shot her in the stomach. The shooting*occurred*yesterday at around*1:30 p.m. inside a third grade classroom*at Armin Jahr Elementary School. The gun was inside the boy’s backpack when it discharged, hitting Amina Kocer-Bowman in the abdomen. Police are investigating how the boy got the gun and why he brought it to school in the first place, but feel the shooting was accidental.*Bowman*was in critical condition last night after surgery but*her friends and family gave reporters a ‘thumbs up’ signal as they left the hospital later that night. The boy who brought the gun was*booked into juvenile detention for investigation of unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault.*KIRO reported that the husband of the teacher who was in the classroom when the shooting happened, said the student who allegedly had the gun was recently transferred to the school and had been a real problem in the classroom.
This article is from The Dreamin' Demon, the Internet's self-appointed buzzkill.


More... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDreaminDemon/~3/NwxMskLxm5c/)

[Whisper]

http://i40.tinypic.com/33z6upv.jpg

Amina Kocer-Bowman

Eight-year-old girl shot in elementary class remains in critical condition

BREMERTON—
An 8-year-old girl was shot and critically wounded in her classroom at Armin Jahr Elementary School Wednesday. Police said that a gun hidden in another 3rd grade student's backpack discharged, apparently accidentally.

The 9-year-old boy was booked into the Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, bringing a dangerous weapon onto school grounds, and assault in the third degree based on criminal negligence.

The Kitsap Sun identified the wounded girl as Amina Kocer-Bowman and said she had been shot in the stomach.

She was flown by helicopter to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, where a spokeswoman said she remained in critical condition Thursday morning after undergoing surgery the day before.

"The investigation revealed a student brought a firearm to school," the Bremerton Police Department said. "At the end of the school day, the firearm discharged while in his backpack. A bullet went through the backpack, striking a nearby 8-year-old student.

"At this stage of the investigation, detectives believe the shooting was accidental," the police statement said.

Investigators were working to determine how the boy came to be in possession of the firearm.

Fifth-grader Kayle Clark was just a few doors down from the room where the 8-year-old was shot. “I heard like a gunshot and I was really scared,” Kayle said. “I was really worried about my best frined because she was in that class.”

Bremerton police Lt. Pete Fisher said they first received a report of a shooting at the school at 1:29 p.m. The school was immediately placed on lockdown, but at mid-afternoon police were in the process reuniting the 400 students at the school with their parents.

Late Wednesday, the school issued a statement saying that school would be in session Thursday, but that grief counselors would be on hand for students, teachers and staff.

The wounded girl's grandmother, Cindy Esteves Kocer, said on her Facebook page: "I am asking for everyone of my friends and their friends to pray for my granddaughter that she survives the shooting that just happened at the school today."

Wednesday's incident at Armin Jahr was not the first this school year in which Kitsap County students have been found with a gun.

[...]http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-shooting-at-bremerton-elementary-school-20120222,0,1256763.story

[AngelFire]

I want to know who the owner of the gun is and why the 9 year old had access to it.

[Whisper]

Father: 'My kid made a mistake' in school shooting

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. (AP) - Crying and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, a frightened 9-year-old boy accused of accidentally shooting a classmate sat before a judge in juvenile court Thursday as his father gently rubbed his back.

The scene _ coming a day after police said the boy accidently shot a fellow third-grader _ raised questions that will be played out in the legal system: Did he know what he did was wrong? And is anyone else responsible?

Bail was set at $50,000 during the preliminary hearing, and ultimately the court will determine whether the third-grader will face criminal charges as an 8-year-old girl remains critically wounded.

"I just want everyone to know that my kid made a mistake. It was a terrible mistake," the boy's father, Jason Cochran, said outside the courthouse.

If the bail is met, the boy would be released to his uncle and placed under house arrest. The uncle, Patrick Cochran, is the boy's legal guardian and also sat by his nephew's side in the courthouse.

"He's a good kid. It's all I can say," said Patrick Cochran. "I apologize to the family of that girl. I really do."

Authorities say the boy brought a .45-caliber handgun he got from his mother's house to an elementary school in Bremerton on Wednesday, and the weapon discharged from inside his backpack just before classes let out, critically injuring Amina Kocer-Bowman. children

Todd Dowell of the Kitsap County prosecutor's juvenile division said that under state law, children between 8 and 12 years old can face charges if a court determines the child has the capacity to understand an act is wrong. A capacity hearing in this case will be held in two weeks.

Kitsap County officials said both the child's mother and father have criminal records. Bremerton police Lt. Peter Fisher would not discuss whether authorities were investigating any adults in connection with Wednesday's shooting, and he wouldn't release further information about the investigation.

The boy's classmate remained in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after undergoing surgery for a gunshot wound. Dr. Eileen Bulger said the girl will likely be at the hospital for several weeks and face further surgeries. She was sedated and on a ventilator but has woken up and interacted with her parents.

On Wednesday, Bremerton police characterized the shooting at Armin Jahr Elementary as accidental. A bullet hit Kocer-Bowman in the abdomen and arm, according to authorities.

Her father, John Bowman, thanked his daughter's teacher in a statement, saying "had she not administered first aid and stopped the bleeding from the gunshot wound, this event would have surely been tragic."

The boy was being investigated for unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault charges. Authorities believe he got the weapon during a visitation with his mother over the weekend, according to charging documents released Thursday. The documents state that the boy told a classmate about five days ago that he was going to bring his "dad's gun" to school and run away. The gun discharged after the boy slammed his backpack down on a desk, the documents said.

Court documents show Jamie Lee Chaffin, who is listed as the boy's mother in a child support case, sued the boy's father for failing to pay child support. She also has been in and out of the court system, according to court documents.

In 2005, she was arrested for possession of meth in Bremerton but pleaded guilty to a drug paraphernalia charge. She also was convicted of marijuana deliver and forgery.

Twenty-seven states have some form of firearm child access prevention laws. Such laws can include criminal penalties for adults who allow children to get their hands on guns, but Washington is not one of those states, according to the San Francisco-based Legal Community Against Violence.

Gail Hammer, a law professor at Gonzaga University in Spokane, said it is very rare for a child as young as 9 to be charged with a crime. Even if a young child is convicted, he wouldn't be sent to an adult prison, Hammer said.

"Generally with young children they try to deal with it in the juvenile system," she said.

In Olympia, the Seattle Democrat who chairs the state Senate Judiciary Committee said there is a lapse in state law. "We do not hold people very accountable in this state for leaving guns around the house with small children," Sen. Adam Kline said.

Kline said that he would consider a bill to address it during the next legislative session next year, but didn't sound hopeful of its chances.

There have been shootings at schools that involved younger children. In 2000, 6-year-old Kayla Rolland, a Michigan first-grader, was fatally shot by a 6-year-old classmate who brought a gun from home. That classmate was not criminally charged; prosecutors said he was too young to be held responsible. Last year, a 6-year-old kindergartner at a Houston elementary school accidentally fired a gun as he was showing it off to friends, injuring three students.

Bremerton Schools spokeswoman Patty Glaser said the school where Wednesday's shooting happened, with about 400 students, was open for classes Thursday with 10 counselors available to talk with teachers, students and parents. The school is in a quiet residential neighborhood about 20 miles west of Seattle, across Puget Sound.

Patrick Cochran said the boy's grandmother adopted him, but she died a year ago and he became the child's legal guardian. He said he lives with the boy's father, and the boy's two sisters.

"I just want him back home," Patrick Cochran said.http://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=19334102&s_cid=article-popular-3

[VAS1326]

So neither parent have custody of the boy but he got the gun while visiting mommy? Apparently she didn't bother to show up for his court hearing just his dad and uncle. I think it sucks the adult responsible will have no charges since there are no laws in that state. I don't think the kid meant to shoot anybody. I don't know why he had it in his backpack and maybe the friend was right he was going to take it and run away. Maybe he was just trying to show his friend he meant it when he said it. Who knows.

It makes me so mad when these things happen. This 9 year old could be locked up and possibilly could have killed another child because his parent (allegedly his mother) allowed access to a gun. A child is in the hospital and could have DIED because of some idiots lack of care with a firearm. When will people learn that when you own a gun and children are around you have to keep it locked up. You also have to educate your kids on gun safety and set very clear rules and boundries.

[Whisper]

JMHO but I feel the only person who should face charges to me would be the guns owner/or whoever had it where he could get it
Mom and dad are both fucking losers
that kid needs to be taken in by someone who wants a child to love and nurture
I would bet my house he can be turned in the right direction
With these 2 twatwaffles in his life he doesnt stand a chance
I dont believe in putting little kids in jail
hes 9 FFS he can punished without being put into a fucking Juvi home where he will learn worse behavior and come out guns blazing

[Silvahalo]

The documents state that the boy told a classmate about five days ago that he was going to bring his "dad's gun" to school and run away. The gun discharged after the boy slammed his backpack down on a desk, the documents said.
This kid has big time problems. He wants to "run" away---why? the uncle has legal guardianship, be interesting to know what is going on in his home. Neither dad/mom have custody so something not so good happened there. Mom needs to answer some serious questions about that gun AND be charged for keeping a loaded weapon w/in reach of a child.
He tells a kid he's gonna bring a gun to school but what was his intention? doubt it was for show and tell.

My kid's in 2nd grade.
The idea that a child his age might bring a gun to school for whatever reason is scary shit. That he did and succeed in firing it off, injuring a child is terrifying.
I sure hope the little Amina pulls through.

[Whisper]

Third-grader Shot at School Undergoes Second Surgery

BREMERTON, Wash. (KTLA) -- The 8-year-old girl who was shot in a third grade classroom underwent more surgery Friday and is still in critical condition.
Meantime, the classmate accused of accidentally shooting her is out on bail.
[...]
She underwent emergency surgery on Wednesday and was taken back into surgery on Friday.

A hospital spokeswoman said Amina is still in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

"She was very close to death yesterday," Dr. Eileen Bugler said Thursday afternoon.

"She has now stopped bleeding and she is critically ill and has a long road ahead of her."

Bugler said her organs are severely damaged and she will have to undergo additional surgeries.

The bullet is still lodged near her spine, and doctors may leave it there.

"The investigation revealed a student brought a firearm to school," the Bremerton Police Department said.

According to court documents, school staff and officers located a large-caliber semiautomatic handgun in a backpack in the classroom where Kocer-Bowman had been shot.

The backpack had been ripped open at the bottom where the muzzle had been pointed.

"At the end of the school day, the firearm discharged while in his backpack. A bullet went through the backpack, striking a nearby 8-year-old student.
[...]http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-third-grader-shot,0,1217849.story

[Morbid]

BREMERTON, Wash. – Last Thursday we reported on the 8-year old who was shot in the stomach while in class at Armin Jahr Elementary School. One of her classmates, a 9-year-old boy, brought a gun to school in his backpack where it accidentally discharged. In that article, a comment was made by the husband of the teacher who was in the classroom where the shooting occurred. He stated that the boy had recently transferred to the school and had been a real problem in the classroom. Now that we have some more information on the boy, there’s no wonder why. He has been surrounded by morons. The boy is currently in his uncle’s custody after his parents relinquished custody of him and his two sisters to his paternal grandmother. When the boy’s grandmother died from pancreatic cancer in 2010, he was placed with his uncle, Patrick Cochran. His mother, Jamie Lee Chaffin, has been convicted of forgery as well as possessing meth and marijuana. Charging documents show the boy got the gun from her during a*weekend visit and it may have belonged to her boyfriend. His father, Jason Cochran, has been convicted of violating protection orders relating to the boy’s mother and has been taken to court for child support. The boy is under house arrest and must check in daily with the county juvenile department. He is facing charges of unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault. If a judge determines he knew what he did was wrong, he will allow prosecutors to proceed with the charges. Prosecutors say they are not trying to lock the boy up, they just want to hold him accountable with probation, treatment and other services. They will not comment on their investigation into the boy’s mother and how he was able to get the gun from her aside from stating they are looking at what role she played and “fully expect all aspects into the case to be investigated.” Meanwhile, 8-year-old Amina Kocer-Bowman is in intensive care after having underwent surgeries to repair the damage done after a .45-caliber bullet entered her arm and abdomen. According to doctors, she’ll be there several more weeks and has several more surgeries in her near future.
This article is from The Dreamin' Demon (http://www.dreamindemon.com), the Internet's self-appointed buzzkill.


More... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDreaminDemon/~3/Qjgiam_VXzA/)

[Dakota Valkyrie]

The 8-year-old Bremerton girl who was shot at school after a gun in a classmate’s backpack accidentally fired has been upgraded to serious condition.

Amina Bowman has been at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle since being shot last Wednesday at Armin Jahr Elementary School. Doctors say she has a long recovery ahead.

The 9-year-old boy who police say brought the .45-caliber pistol to school was arrested. He faces charges of unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault. The boy is facing a capacity hearing in which a judge will determine if he knew what he did was wrong. If the judge decides the boy knew, the charges go forward.

Prosecutors say they plan to seek probation and treatment for him.
[...]

The boy's family bailed him out of juvenile detention and took him to his uncle's home Thursday night. Bail had been set at $50,000. The boy will remain under house arrest and must check in daily with the county juvenile department.http://www.king5.com/news/cities/bremerton/Bremerton-girl-shot-at-school-improving-140708403.html

[Whisper]

I was thinking about her today and was going to look it up

[Whisper]

Family of 8-year-old girl shot in school wants answers
Amina Kocer-Bowman still can't communicate, father says


There have been nights where I’ve cried myself to sleep wondering why this happened to my daughter,” John Bowman said Thursday of Amina Kocer-Bowman, the 8-year-old shot at her Bremerton elementary school last week.

After five surgeries, doctors had to medically sedate Amina because she was in so much pain. Although John said his daughter still can't communicate with him, he and his wife do what they can to let her know they're there.

“We’ll talk to her and hold her hand. Yesterday my wife combed her hair for the first time in over a week. That’s something she looked forward to every morning before she went to school is just comb her hair,” said Bowman.

Seattle attorney Jeff Campiche is representing the Bowman family and feels someone is at fault for allowing the 9-year-old boy charged in this case access to the .45-caliber gun he brought to school Feb. 22. Campiche said there are a lot of questions he wants answered.

“How come he was living with one of the unfit parents? How come he was visiting the other unfit parent and how did he get this virtual handgun cannon?” Campiche asked.

In Kitsap County Juvenile Court, prosecutors told the judge the boy’s parents lost custody of him due to their criminal history. They boy’s grandmother adopted him, but passed away. That’s when his uncle became his legal guardian, but the boy’s father lives with them in the same home.

There have also been conflicting stories as to where the boy got the gun. While his father believes his son got it from his mother's boyfriend, the mother of another child in Amina's class heard a different story
[..]

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-shooting-victims-family-wants-answers-20120301,0,5448863.story

[Whisper]

Warrant issued for mom in Wash. school shooting

Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the Washington state mother of a 9-year-old boy who is accused of bringing a gun that accidentally fired in his elementary school classroom, wounding a classmate.

Bremerton Police Lt. Peter Fisher says the arrest warrants were issued Monday by the Kitsap County District Court for Jamie Lee Passmore and her boyfriend, Douglas L. Bauer.

Fisher says Passmore and Bauer both failed to secure guns they weren't supposed to own. He says investigators visited Passmore's residence and saw a loaded, unsecured pistol the same day her son brought a gun to school.

Passmore has been charged with two second-degree counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Bauer has been charged with one second-degree count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

[...]http://www.heraldextra.com/news/national/warrant-issued-for-mom-in-wash-school-shooting/article_853aaeb1-fb47-5e6e-bbda-d2dea67999c5.html#ixzz1oIg75wdF

[VAS1326]

Warrant issued for mom in Wash. school shooting
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/national/warrant-issued-for-mom-in-wash-school-shooting/article_853aaeb1-fb47-5e6e-bbda-d2dea67999c5.html#ixzz1oIg75wdF

I'm glad to hear that. None the less they were illegal guns...fucking nice. 2 young lives fucked up for these ass wipes stupidity.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

A 9-year-old boy was sentenced Tuesday to 12 months of probation and ordered to write a letter of apology to a fellow third-grader who was critically wounded when the gun he brought to school discharged as he slammed his bag on a desk.

The boy's classmate, 8-year-old Amina Kocer-Bowman, remained in serious condition at a Seattle hospital after she was struck Feb. 22 in her midsection and arm.

At a Kitsap County Juvenile Court hearing, the boy was asked whether he wanted to say anything. He replied: "I'm sorry."

Amina, who has had five surgeries, is on a ventilator to help her breathe. The boy was ordered to have no contact with her, unless it was approved.

The boy pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges that included unlawful possession of a gun and bringing a dangerous weapon to school. Prosecutors dropped third-degree assault charges. In addition to his sentence, he was told to undergo 48 hours of counseling.
[...]

The boy also was ordered not to contact his mother or her boyfriend. Bremerton police Lt. Peter Fisher said the warrant for Jamie Lee Passmore lists two second-degree counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Her boyfriend, Douglas L. Bauer, is wanted for a second-degree count of unlawful possession of a firearm.http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/05/2017657/warrant-issued-for-mom-in-wash.html

[Silvahalo]

http://i0.simplest-image-hosting.net/picture/amina-.jpg#-REMEMBER-TO-LINK-SIMPLEST-IMAGE-HOSTING.NET-WHEN-HOTLINKING
An X-ray shows the bullet lodged near Bowman's spine.

5 surgeries help girl shot at school slowly recover from major injuries.
Amina Kocer-Bowman, 8, critically injured by a single bullet from a gun a third-grade classmate carried to school in his backpack, is off a ventilator and is improving slowly. Avoiding infection is the main concern now, doctors at Harborview Medical Center say.


Amina Kocer-Bowman, critically injured by a single bullet from a gun that a third-grade classmate carried to school in his backpack, has undergone five surgeries, losing her gallbladder, part of her small intestine and a major vein.
Her elbow, shattered by the .45-caliber bullet that slammed through her tiny body, has been patched together with a large metal plate. The bullet remains lodged near her spine but isn't affecting her ability to move.

[...]
Amina has been upgraded to serious condition. She was taken off a ventilator last weekend, and she's talking and watching TV. She's even learned to use the call button, her father said. "Every day we have her ... it's a blessing."
But it's hard when she asks for water, he said. He can't give it to her.
Because Amina doesn't have a working small intestine, she can eat and drink only through a feeding tube in her abdomen.
[...]
more. (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017741106_girl14m.html)

Sounds so awful, but she's still alive and hopefully will make a full recovery.
Heal completely Amina.

[cubby]

I think that the no-contact order for his mother is going to help him the most, he should be kept away from that dysfunctional....person and her boyfriend.

Tho I do think that at some point when Amina is better he whould be able to see her and to apologize in person, so he sees for himself what he did to her and that she is gettting better. The guilt is probably eating him up about hurting her. She also needs to see that he is sorry and didn't mean to hurt her.

I feel so badly for these children, the little boy is seemingly a lost child with a dysfunctional family (at least on the maternal side) and the little girl a loved child who nearly died because of his carelessness. I don't want either of them to carry the hurt and guilt for the rest of their lives.

But then again, I'm PollyAnna first cousin, I may be wanting too much.

[Ninja0980]

I would have liked to see a longer probation term and more therapy ordered than simply 48 hours. That is not enough time to give this child the help he needs and to ensure he doesn't follow his parents road down the future.

[VAS1326]

I would have liked to see a longer probation term and more therapy ordered than simply 48 hours. That is not enough time to give this child the help he needs and to ensure he doesn't follow his parents road down the future.

I would have liked to see him get more mental help as well. I think it is extremely important with his messed up family life and the guilt he must feel over this accident. The boy has got to be a mess on the inside. I think it's easier to work with a child and get him on the straight an narrow then to wait until he is older and harder or does something even worse then bringing a gun to school.

[cubby]

the reason I think he needs to see Amina in person and apologize is so that he can see what his actions caused for her. this child is saveable now but if they wait to when he is just a little bit older, he may not be. He may become too cold and hardened and callous towards others.

You can tell people stuff till you're blue in the face but most of the time until they experience or really see for themselves the results of their actions it usually doesn't sink in. 48 hours of therapy doesn't seem like long enough either considering the life he's led up til now. He's got a lot of bad stuff to unlearn and alot of good stuff to learn.

I hope he gets to learn it.

[VAS1326]

I'm assuming they are having him do his sessions in one hour incriments once a week. That's not even a full year (maybe holiday weeks he doesn't have to go) but I have a feeling this kid needs years of therapy.

I really am glad to see the little girl is making progress. I really really hope she heals but pyschically and mentally from this. I hope they both find peace and go on to live normal lives.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

What is leading anyone to think the child needs more than the 48 hours of therapy? The people involved with the case seem to feel that is an appropriate amount of time based on the facts of the matter that we aren't privy to.

From one article:
The .45-caliber handgun fired in a classroom at a Bremerton school after the boy slammed his backpack on a desk.

This was an accident. It's not like he was pointing the gun at her when it went off. It seems he had the gun in preparation for running away. Maybe he had it for "protection" while on the road. Wanting to run away is worrisome and deserving of attention... but the reason for wanting to run away may not be anything that needs intense therapy. We don't know.

I'm pleased that they ordered any therapy at all.

[VAS1326]

What is leading anyone to think the child needs more than the 48 hours of therapy? The people involved with the case seem to feel that is an appropriate amount of time based on the facts of the matter that we aren't privy to.

From one article:

This was an accident. It's not like he was pointing the gun at her when it went off. It seems he had the gun in preparation for running away. Maybe he had it for "protection" while on the road. Wanting to run away is worrisome and deserving of attention... but the reason for wanting to run away may not be anything that needs intense therapy. We don't know.

I'm pleased that they ordered any therapy at all.


I guess you make a good point there. Maybe he isn't as messed up by his family life as we jumped to the conclusion he was. I just hope in the end he ends up some place stable where he can heal and grow.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

http://i0.simplest-image-hosting.net/picture/20120404-06.jpg (http://simplest-image-hosting.net/jpg-0-20120404-06)
The 9-year-old boy started his letter simply: “Dear Amina, I am sorry I hurt you because I brought a gun to school.”

He wrote in pencil on college-rule paper, skipping every other line. His spelling was impeccable and there were palm smudges and eraser marks.

On Feb. 22, the boy had gone to his school in Bremerton, Wash., with a .45-caliber handgun that prosecutors believe he took from the glove compartment of his mother’s truck. He had told classmates the week before that he wanted to run away because his family life had overwhelmed him.

Instead, his life took a tragic turn when he plopped his backpack down on his desk, one minute before the bell rang. The gun he had stowed went off, and the bullet critically injured a third-grade classmate, Amina Kocer-Bowman.
[...]

Amina was released from Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Tuesday after undergoing five surgeries to repair injuries to her small intestine and other organs, the Seattle Times reported. She wore a gray-hooded sweatshirt and held a stuffed panda bear as she waved shyly to members of the press.

April 3 has become an important date for the Bowman family, King 5 noted. This year, Amina returned home on that day. Last year, her father returned from a 13-month deployment to Iraq.

Amina’s doctors believe that she will make a full recovery, although she has months of physical therapy ahead of her and the bullet remains lodged near her spine, according to the Seattle Times. She also still has a feeding tube in her stomach.
[...]

“I wish you were out of the hospital Playing basketball and going back to school,” he wrote. “I wish everyone was okay. I made a bad choice. I was sad, scared and afraid and I did not solve my problem well.”

The boy concluded his letter: “I will stay away from guns. I should have told a grown-up. I will promise to learn better ways to solve my problems. Again I am sorry Amina.”
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/04/11021289-boy-9-dear-amina-i-am-sorry-i-hurt-you-because-i-brought-a-gun-to-school

http://i0.simplest-image-hosting.net/picture/20120404-07.jpg (http://simplest-image-hosting.net/jpg-0-20120404-07)

[cubby]

Even tho, I'm concerned for Amina and I am so very glad she's gonna be okay, my heart truly aches for this little boy. He seems too intelligent to be left with the mouth breathing, knuckle dragging cretins that his family seems. I really hope that this is a turning point in his life and he gets a better life because it all this. His letter to Amina is heart breaking, I hope her family teaches her forgiveness in this instance.

[Whisper]

I saw her on inside edition the other day hope she keeps getting better

[Silvahalo]

I am thrilled Amina is making a full recovery though it is troubling that the bullet is still lodged.

I agree, hope this young boy gets all kinds of help and that now as he's apologized, learn and move on from his mistake. I wondfer if he got help writing his apology letter? I would think by the sounds of it, very well worded. He said far more than some pos's I've read on and they're adults.

Sounds like he has had a lot going on at home, much so that it talks on running away and feeling overwhelmed. so sad.

He had told classmates the week before that he wanted to run away because his family life had overwhelmed him.
. . . I wish everyone was okay. I made a bad choice. I was sad, scared and afraid and I did not solve my problem well.”

Such a hard life lesson. I hope both children go on to good things.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Sounds like he has had a lot going on at home, much so that it talks on running away and feeling overwhelmed. so sad.
I'm hoping his turmoil was related to the interactions with his parents and the visitations with them (& missing them) and little to do with living with his uncle. I hope uncle is truly one of the good guys and this boy gets all the help he needs and wants.

[Ninja0980]

I hope the "mother" is kept far away from her son. That's where he got the gun from. From the sounds of the letter,it's filled with genuine remorse. I hope he leads a productive life,as I hope Amina does.