Jonathan Martinez: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

An 8-year-old boy was gunned down in a special needs classroom in a San Bernardino elementary school solely because he was standing near a teacher murdered by her husband, police say.

Police identified the child as Jonathan Martinez, and said that he had died in the attack perpetrated by Cedric Charles Anderson at San Bernardino’s North Park school.

Three people have died altogether in the April 10 shooting, and another child was reportedly in critical condition. The mass shooting sent terrified parents rushing to the school to look for their children, and flooded TV screens with images all too familiar, echoing past school shootings.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Martinez’ Teacher Was Also Killed in the Shooting

The boy was slain because he was standing in proximity to the intended target – his teacher, police said in a news conference.

The name of the teacher was given as Karen Smith, who was a special education teacher.

Police said it was a murder suicide, and the shooter was Smith’s husband.

The child’s death – innocently standing in a place of sanctity, a classroom – horrified the public:

Police identified the shooter as Cedric Charles Anderson, a Riverside resident, according to NBC Los Angeles.

ABC7 reports that it took only four minutes for the police to arrive at the scene.

Karen Smith: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Karen Smith was the teacher shot to death in a murder suicide at a San Bernardino elementary school. Two students were also injured in the North Lake school shooting.

Click here to read & comment now

2. The Shooting Took Place in a Classroom as Instruction Was Occurring

The shootings unfolded in a San Bernardino elementary school classroom. Martinez died before making it into surgery although he was rushed to the hospital and initially listed as being in critical condition, according to ABC 7.

In addition to Jonathan, one other student was also wounded and was said to be in critical condition in the hospital, police said.

Karen Smith and Cedric Anderson. (Facebook)

Both children were airlifted to a hospital. Police said in a news conference that Smith was teaching in the classroom when Anderson walked in and silently shot her.

3. The Two Students Were Not the Target of the Attack

Unlike other school shootings – like Sandy Hook – Jonathan and the other child shot were not the gunman’s intended target, police say.

They say that he was after his estranged wife, the teacher, Smith, and the children were simply standing in her proximity when Anderson opened fire.

San Bernardino police Capt. Ron Maass said the man “had gone to the classroom to visit the woman,” and the children were wounded by being near her when he opened fire, KTLA reported.

“Police said the children shot were not targeted and likely struck by accident,” reported ABC 7.

Anderson then turned the weapon on himself, killing himself, police said.

4. Children Were Led Out of the School Building Holding Hands

Children clutched each other’s hands as they were led out of the school in lines.

According to the school district’s website, Smith was assigned to “SDC” classes.

SDC classes are generally “special day classes” where students receive instruction from a special education teacher in an environment with smaller class sizes.

The school spokeswoman told KTLA-TV that the shooting unfolded around 10:30 a.m. at the elementary school, located at 5378 N. H St. The initial call was for an active shooter, KTLA reported.

Traumatized parents rushed to the scene, CNN reported, looking for their children.

“I fell to my knees and started saying our father and hail Mary’s. … I’m gonna hug her. … I’m gonna hug her. I hope she is OK,” Brad Hendran, whose daughter is in the second grade, said, according to CNN.

5. The Killer Checked in at the School Office Before Slaying Martinez & Smith

The Superintendent Dale Marsden said at a press conference that Anderson checked in at the school office and likely provided an ID, following normal procedures. Police said Smith taught in a multi-grade classroom.

“We believe this to be a murder suicide. Happened in a classroom. Two students have been transported to the hospital,” wrote San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan on Twitter.

The identity of the second student was not immediately released. The Associated Press characterized the shooting as a “domestic dispute.”

The AP reported shortly after the shooting that the wounded students were in critical condition. Sadly, Martinez was then reported to have died.

Read more about the shooter here:

Cedric Anderson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Cedric Anderson killed a teacher and an 8-year-old student before fatally shooting himself at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, police say.

Click here to read & comment now

Jessica McBride is a Heavy contributor. She was a crime, government, and breaking news reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and reporter for the Waukesha Freeman newspaper. Her award-winning work has appeared in numerous magazine, newspaper, and online publications. She has also appeared as a crime reporter on Investigation Discovery Channel, History Channel, and Oxygen Channel. She can be reached by email at jessica.mcbride@heavy.com.
April 10, 2017 9:08 pm