Mother wants help finding answers to shooting

To the Editor:

On Dec. 27, 2007, my son was shot in the face on Linton-Stockton school property. School was not in session due to Christmas break. He was arriving for basketball practice that had been scheduled by his coach. His grandpa dropped him off at the front entrance by the high school gym, but the door was locked.

He got on his skateboard and rode around the gym to the back doors. As he was going around the corner of the gym closest to the administration building, he was shot in the eye. It struck his eyelid a quarter of an inch from his open eye and left a purple mark for more than a week. Had it struck his eye, he could have lost his sight.

I filed a police report the same day. When I inquired what the chances were of finding the person who shot my son, I was told not good, but an officer would be sent to the school to poke around for information. As of today, 1-21-08, I don't believe this has happened.

If anyone had bothered to go to the scene, they would not only see how few residences are close enough that a short range weapon could have reached him, but they could have checked the ground for pellets, BB's, airsoft pellets, or anything. If a crime has not been committed, I'd like to see a published list of acceptable weapons to shoot someone in the face with. If it's legal for one person, it's legal for all of us. Right?

I'd also like to know whose kid needs to get shot to make this a serious matter worth looking into? How serious does the wound need to be?

Was someone's child out messing around with a new gun they got for Christmas and the parents aren't aware that it happened because the police didn't knock on their door to investigate? Don't the parents need to know their kids might be shooting people in the face so they can discipline the shooter?

Was it an older child/adult who just thought it might be fun to hide behind an object in the yard and shoot an innocent, unsuspecting kid off his skateboard?

How will we ever know when we don't bother to ask? Since nobody else cares who shot my son in the face, I'm asking now! Who shot Blake Eaton in the eye on Dec. 27, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.? Don't call Crime Stoppers. Call me! Nobody else cares!

Chantel D. Eaton

Linton