Nathan Tavarez, 11-year-old cousin of Iolan Kristi Tavarez, remains in critical condition at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. ACCORDING to an Associated Press report, the three rounds fired in the incident were all the suspect had.
The boy suffered severe wounds from a 20-gauge shotgun blast Tuesday morning at Berrendo Middle School, Roswell, N.M. He was among students congregated in the school’s gymnasium before classes started
Also wounded was Kendal Sanders, 13, who suffered shoulder injuries. She is in satisfactory condition at UMC.
A 12-year-old seventh-grader at the school was taken into custody minutes after the shooting.
Tavarez underwent two surgeries, one immediately after arriving at UMC by helicopter Tuesday and a second later in the day, said Kristi Tavarez, who drove more than 600 miles from Iola to Lubbock, arriving there about 10 a.m. Wednesday.
“Nathan is in intensive care,” said Tavarez, who works at All About U hair saloon in Iola. “Doctors are concerned about keeping the swelling down in his brain,” and there also is concern for the boy’s vision. Some pellets struck his eyes.
Tavarez said his injuries covered his face and most of his torso.
At a news conference Wednesday, investigators said the young shooter fired three shots and it appeared the victims were chosen at random.
Kristi Tavarez said many of the boy’s family, including his parents and her uncle and aunt, Fred and Donna Tavarez, were staying at a hotel near the Lubbock medical center.
“There have been ministers and others come from Roswell (about 175 miles to the west of Lubbock) to support Nathan and the family,” Tavarez said. “He’s such a good boy and a good athlete. I don’t know why this happened.”
His family issued a statement saying they were heartbroken and felt great remorse. The family added it will cooperate with law enforcement to “piece together how this awful tragedy occurred.”
Shooting victim remains critical
