of birney elementary school shooting leaves tacoma teacher dead

Birney Elementary School Shooting Leaves Tacoma Teacher Dead: A female teacher was shot at Birney Elementary School before children arrived. Police spokesman said that the suspect and the victim knew each other.


Forensics investigators view the blanket-covered body of the special education teacher.

A Tacoma elementary school teacher was shot and killed on school grounds Friday, according to the school district’s spokesman. Spokesman Dan Voelpel says a female special education teacher was shot at about 7:35 a.m. at Birney Elementary School before children arrived. A suspect may have also been shot by police.

When Crimesider called Birney Elementry School, the woman who answered said no children were present at the school when the shooting took place. Birney Elementary classes usually begin at 9 a.m. according to school officials. The Tacoma News Tribune reports there was another shooting in the Fredrickson area that is connected to the school shooting. Police spokesman Mark Fulghum told the paper the suspect and the victim knew each other.

The school has about 400 students in grades K-5.