A mother of one of the two boys hit during Monday's shooting at Sparks Middle School spoke to the media Wednesday about her child.
In a prepared statement, she said:
"Hi, I'm Jennifer Davis, mother of Mason, one of the victim's of the Sparks Middle School shooting. I'm here today to make a statement about my son and the incident.
On Monday morning, Mason was hit with a bullet to abdomen, which exited through his backside. We are happy that he is on the road to recovery and is doing well. In fact, he is already up and about. He is in good spirits, although saddened by the loss of his friend, Mr. Landsberry. We do not believe he was in any way the target in this shooting. It is my understanding that he was trying to help Mr. Landsberry at the the time he was shot.
I just need to add that as a result of this incident I will be getting involved with issues around gun safety in the hopes of preventing this kind of situation in the future.
Our whole family is grieving over the tragic deaths this week. We appreciate the support we have received from Dad's Convenient Store (sic) in Sparks and want to thank the entire community for their prayers and support during this difficult time."
A fellow unidentified student was hit in the shoulder. He also remains in the hospital.
His parents did not want to go camera, but they also issued a statement:
"We want to share with you that our son is doing well. He was shot through the shoulder and is recovering. He has accepted what has happened to him and is getting stronger with each passing day. We are so proud of him.
He is very sad about the death of Mr. Landsberry and feels sorry for his family. He liked Mr. Landsberry and will miss him - so will everyone at the school.
We do not believe our son was a target in this shooting. We are grateful to friends and family and everyone who has been so supportive. We request privacy for our whole family while our son is focusing on getting well. Thank you."
Police say 45-year-old Michael Landsberry was shot in the chest while trying to intervene in the situation. Police say the 12-year-old shooter killed himself. On Wednesday, Sparks City Attorney Chet Adam said that police will not release the names of the children involved in the incident, and the investigation remains ongoing.
