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Scared Maury students stay home

Rumors warn of retaliation at schools for fatal shootings

By SUZANNE NORMAND BLACKWOOD
Staff Writer

Hundreds of students at Columbia Central and Spring Hill high schools stayed home Monday after hearing rumors of possible retaliation for two slayings that occurred after a party two weekends ago.

About 900 students from Columbia Central High School and some 500 students from Spring Hill High School stayed home after text messages alerted parents and students that the school day might turn violent.

Columbia Central has an enrollment of about 1,400, and Spring Hill has an enrollment of about 900.

The messages were related to the April 13 fatal shootings of Juan J. Castro, 16, of Franklin and Patricia Garcia, 24, of Spring Hill. Castro and Garcia were among 11 people in a sport utility vehicle that was fired upon early that morning after an argument at a Saturday night birthday party.

Jose Castro, 24, of Franklin, and Sara Garcia, 19, of Spring Hill were injured in the shooting. Earlier reports said the Castros are brothers and the Garcias are sisters.

"Word kind of got out through rumor, and parents got concerned," said Sharon Kinnard, communications specialist for Maury County Public Schools.

"It's basically a community issue that happened outside the school."

But because of rumors that began flying after funerals for Castro and Garcia on Friday, many parents decided to keep their kids home, she said.

Kinnard said a tip came through a school resource officer, who alerted the Maury County Sheriff's Office and school officials.

"We're taking our cues from law enforcement," she said.

Kinnard said the school day went very smoothly, despite the rumors.

The chance of an act of retaliation was considered small but could not be ignored, law enforcement officials indicated.

"We followed all the leads, and we feel there is no validity to any of the rumors," said Capt. Nathan Johns of the Maury County Sheriff's Office.

The rumors, however, resulted in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; the Tennessee Highway Patrol; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives getting involved, Kinnard said.

Extra security measures have been taken at the schools, and law enforcement had a very noticeable presence, she added.

Mike Browning, public information officer for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, said the agency has had extra officers throughout the Columbia area since the funerals.

Robert Guerrero, 20, and Erik Guerrero, 19, both of Columbia, have been charged with first-degree murder.

Javoris Deray Sparkman turned himself in after being placed on the TBI's 10 Most Wanted list.

A 16-year-old has also been arrested in connection with the shootings.