While the massacre at Erfurt brings its own
unique pain to the Thuringian capital, other communities around
the world have experienced the same tragic horror of lives lost
to hateful violence
Eching, Germany — February 2002
A 22-year-old decorator, who had recently lost his job, shot dead
his former employer in Eching and then traveled to nearby Freising,
where he shot his former principal at a technical college. He later
shot himself dead.
Brannenburg, Germany — March 2000
A 16-year-old boy shot the headmaster of a boarding school from
which he had been expelled. The teacher later died.
Meissen, Germany — November 1999
A 15-year-old boy stabbed his teacher to death after classmates
bet that he wouldn't go through with the act. He was jailed for
seven years.
Littleton, Colorado, U.S. — April 1999
Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, went on a rampage at Columbine
High School, killing 12 classmates and a teacher. Though they used
guns for the murders, more than 50 homemade explosive devices were
also found in and around the school. Harris and Klebold shot themselves
in the school library.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa — May 1999
A school principal and a teacher killed one pupil and injured two
others after they opened fire on a group of students. The perpetrators
were believed to have been reacting to insults and stone throwing
directed at them by pupils.
Conyers, Georgia, U.S. — May 1999
Thomas Solomon, 15, wounded six students at a high school near Atlanta.
Jonesboro, Arkansas, U.S. — March 1998
Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, killed a teacher and
four students and wounded 11 others at Westside Middle School.
Pearl, Mississippi, U.S. — October 1997
Luke Woodham, 16, stabbed his mother to death at home and later
shot dead two friends — including his former girlfriend —
at Pearl High School. Seven other students were wounded in the attack.
West Paducah, Kentucky, U.S. — December 1997
Michael Carneal, 14, killed three girls and wounded five other students
when he opened fire on a group of pupils praying at Heath High School
in West Paducah.
San'a, Yemen — March 1997
Mohammed al-Nadhiri, 42, shot one child and four adults with a rifle
and wounded others in attacks on two schools. He was sentenced to
death the next day.
Dunblane, Scotland — March 1996
Thomas Hamilton, 43, shot dead 16 five- and six-year-olds and their
teacher at a primary school, before killing himself. A year later
the British government severely restricted handgun ownership.
Vladikavkaz, Russia — December 1995
Yuri Kardanov, 30, killed three children and wounded three other
children, three policemen and himself when he set off two hand grenades
in a kindergarten.
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France — May 1993
Eric Schmitt, 42, held 21 preschool students hostage for over 46
hours in the Paris suburb. The siege ended when police shot Schmitt
dead; the kids were freed.
Stockton, California, U.S. — January 1989
Patrick Purdy, 26, killed five southeast Asian children aged six
to nine years old and injured 30 others at a local school. Purdy
then shot himself.
Cologne, Germany — June 1964
Walter Seifert killed eight children and injured 20 others after
he set a classroom on fire with a flamethrower. He died in a hospital
after ingesting insecticide and being shot by police
