Pupil banned from Roermond school after shooting

A 16-year-old boy who fired multiple gunshots at his school in Roermond on Friday, will not be allowed to return to the school, the mayor of Roermond said at a meeting fro parents on Saturday. The teenager was showing positive development and the school had no indications that he was planning an attack, NOS reports.

At around 8:30 a.m. on Friday, the 16-year-old boy arrived at the Kennis- en Expertisecentrum (KEC) de Donderberg and pulled a firearm. He fired several shots, both inside and outside the school building. No one was hit. Teachers talked to the boy until the police arrived minutes later. He was overpowered and arrested. The police found multiple weapons, including a hatchet and knives, on the boy after his arrest.

According to the police, the boy had conflict with another pupil at the school and that was the reason behind his action.

At the meeting for parents it was also revealed that the boy had a great love for weapons. He started drawing pictures of guns in group 4. That was also one of the reasons why he was at a special education school, but the school did not have the impression that this would lead to anything more serious, according to De Limburger. 

After the meeting, some parents and pupils suggested that the teenager was systematically bullied and that he stood up for his younger brother, who was also being bullied. The school had no information about this, Hans Kelderman, chairman of the executive board of the Aloysius Foundation said to De Limburger. The Aloysius Foundation is one of the participating foundations within KEC. 

Lessons will continue as normal at KEC on Monday. Victim support will be available to pupils who need it. 

The boy from Koningsbosch is still in custody.