National
Red Lake Tragedy: Healing ceremony at school


An update on the latest developments involving the March 21, 2005, fatal shootings on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota.

THE REOPENING

A memorial outside Red Lake High School.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Star Tribune: Red Lake School Shootings
Pioneer Press: Red Lake shooting
A special ceremony was held at the Red Lake High School on Monday, three weeks after the deadly shootings that left 10 dead. Two survivors, Ryan Auginash, 14, and Cody Thunder, 15, led a group of students, parents and educators back into the gym for a traditional ceremony. "I wanted to show everybody it's OK," Auginash told The Minneapolis Star Tribune of his participation.

"Everybody's scared. I was scared, but it's going to be all right," he said.

According to news reports, Red Lake Nation Chairman Floyd Jourdain Jr. spoke at the ceremony but it was not known what he said. Jourdain's 16-year-old son, Louis, has been charged with conspiracy in connection with the shootings and is the only other person besides Jeff Weise, 16, the shooter, linked to the incident. Chairman Jourdain says his son is innocent.

Federal authorities have interviewed more than 20 people, most of them teens, and have seized computers from homes and from the high school. One parent told the KVLY television station that his son has been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury investigation. The station said the subpoena required the student to provide fingerprints, an oral DNA swab and a full body color photo. Principal Chris Dunshee told The St. Paul Pioneer Press that other students have received similar subpoenas.

Classes at the high school are set to resume today for a half-day. Students at the elementary and middle school on the reservation went back to classes on Monday. According to The Pioneer Press, a little more than half showed up.

Red Lake: Praying to heal the fear, the pain (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/12) pwlat
Red Lake students return to school with mixed emotions (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/12)
Healing as campus reopens (The St. Paul Pioneer Press 4/12) pw1
RED LAKE SHOOTINGS: The healing process begins (The Grand Forks Herald 4/12)
Red Lake students return to school (KTSP 4/12)
Red Lake Students Prepare to Return (AP 4/12)
Students Return to Classes at Red Lake High (National Public Radio 4/12)
Red Lake elementary schools reopen (The Grand Forks Herald 4/12)
Schools can take years to heal (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/11)
Red Lake: Back to school under guard (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/9)
Red Lake students back to class Tuesday (The St. Paul Pioneer Press 4/9)

THE SURVIVORS

Lance Crowe attends a Minnesota Twins game.
There was a special treat for Lance Crowe, 15, one of the survivors of the school shooting. On Saturday, he and his family were the guests of honor at the Minnesota Twins game, where he was greeted by team members who gave him autographs and baseballs. The team heard that Lance wanted to go to a Twins game -- his relatives are big fans -- they decided to give him the VIP treatment.

Two other survivors, Jeffrey May, 15, and Steven Cobenais, 15, remain in a hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, and are continuing to recover from near-fatal and serious gunshot wounds. May, who was shot in the head, is said to be good spirits and has been moved to a pediatric unit. Cobenais, who was shot in the forehead and lost an eye, has amazed doctors and others with his dramatic recovery.

"What a fighter. What a little trouper that guy is," Principal Chris Dunshee told The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

RED LAKE SHOOTINGS: Lance Crowe is honored guest at Twins game (The St. Paul Pioneer Press 4/10)
Twins players greet Red Lake shooting victim (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/10)

SUPPORT RED LAKE
Donations for the victims and their families can be sent to:
Red Lake Nation Memorial Fund
P.O. Box 574
Red Lake, Minnesota 56671
How to help the Red Lake people (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 3/27)

Relevant Links:
Red Lake Net News - http://www.rlnn.com
Red Lake Nation - http://www.redlakenation.org
Red Lake High School - http://www.paulbunyan.net/rlschools/hs.htm