Freeman High School shooting
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Approximately 10:00 a.m. local time[2]
| Freeman High School shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington, U.S. |
| Date | September 13, 2017[1] Approximately 10:00 a.m. local time[2] |
| Target | Students and staff |
Attack type | School shooting |
| Weapons | |
| Deaths | 1[1] |
| Injured | 3[1] |
| Perpetrator | Caleb Sharpe[1] |
| Motive | Under investigation / bullying-related factors reported[4] |
| Charges | Multiple counts including aggravated murder and attempted murder[5] |
| Convictions | Pleaded guilty; sentenced to prison[5] |
The Freeman High School shooting occurred on September 13, 2017, at Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington. A 15-year-old male student opened fire inside the school, killing one student and injuring three others before being subdued by a school employee. The incident prompted a lockdown of the school and a large law enforcement response.[1]
The shooting occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time as students were changing classes between periods. The suspect carried a duffel bag containing an AR-15–style rifle and ammunition into a school hallway. The rifle reportedly suffered a malfunction while the suspect attempted to load a bullet into the chamber. The suspect then pulled a handgun out of his coat and fired into the hallway, striking several students.[4][1] A school custodian intervened by confronting the shooter and forcing him to drop his weapon, effectively ending the attack.[6]
One student, identified as Sam Strahan, later died from his injuries, while three others were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.[7] The school was placed on lockdown and later evacuated as police secured the campus.[1]
Perpetrator
The shooter was identified as Caleb Sharpe, a 15-year-old student at the school. According to court documents, Sharpe brought an AR-15–style rifle and a handgun onto campus, though only the pistol was fired during the attack.[8]
Investigators stated that Sharpe had experienced bullying and social isolation, which were cited as contributing factors to the shooting, though no single motive was officially established.[8]
Sharpe had an extensive online activity prior to the shooting, including a YouTube channel. A video uploaded by Sharpe in June of 2017 showed him and a friend simulating a shootout.[9] A friend of Sharpe claimed that he was "weird" and was obsessed with documentaries surrounding school shootings and the show Breaking Bad.[9]
Trial
Sharpe was charged with aggravated murder, attempted murder, and multiple counts of assault with a firearm. In 2018, a judge ruled that he would be tried as an adult under Washington law due to the seriousness of the crimes.[10]
In 2023, Sharpe pleaded guilty to multiple charges, avoiding a jury trial. He was sentenced to a prison term of 40 years, with the possibility of parole after serving the mandatory minimum required by state law.[11] This sentence was later changed to a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole after 25 years.[12]