West Nickel Mines School shooting

39°57′37″N 76°05′04″W / 39.96021°N 76.084393°W / 39.96021; -76.084393

West Nickel Mines School shooting
LocationBart Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DateOctober 2, 2006; 18 years ago (2006-10-02)
c. 10:25 – c. 11:07 a.m.
TargetFemale students at West Nickel Mines School
Attack type
Femicide, pedicide, school shooting, hostage taking, murder–suicide, mass shooting, mass murder
Weapons
Deaths7 (including the perpetrator and a victim who died from complications in 2024)
Injured4
PerpetratorCharles Carl Roberts IV

On October 2, 2006, a shooting occurred at the West Nickel Mines School, an Amish one-room schoolhouse in the Old Order Amish community of Nickel Mines, a village in Bart Township, Pennsylvania.[1][2][3] Gunman Charles Carl Roberts IV took hostages and shot ten girls (aged 6–13), killing six (five in the initial incident, and a sixth who succumbed to her injuries in 2024), before committing suicide in the schoolhouse.[1][2][3][4] The emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation in the Amish community's response was widely discussed by the national media. The West Nickel Mines School was later demolished, and a new one-room schoolhouse, the New Hope School, was built at another location.

  1. ^ a b "Six killed in Pennsylvania school attack". The San Diego Union-TribuneSignOnSanDiego.com. October 2, 2006. Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved October 3, 2006.
  2. ^ a b "Gunman Opens Fire In Amish School 'Revenge'". CBS News. October 3, 2006. Archived from the original on October 2, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2006.
  3. ^ a b "Police: School killer told wife he molested family members". CNN. October 3, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2006.
  4. ^ "Fifth girl dies after Amish school shooting". CNN. October 3, 2006. Retrieved October 3, 2006.