Covenant News

Covenanter Escapes Injury in El Cajon Shooting

EL CAJON, CA - (March 22, 2001) - A parishioner at Community Covenant Church in El Cajon narrowly escaped injury Thursday after confronting an armed student who began firing in the direction of Granite Hills High School, Covenant News Service has learned.

Dan Barnes, dean of students at the high school, was one of the first to encounter the 18-year-old student who reportedly was approaching the school carrying a shotgun. A San Diego Union-Tribune story, quoting one observer, stated Barnes "sprinted indoors and dived across the floor, glass shards crashing down on him" as the student began firing his weapon.

Another observer was quoted as saying the shooter fired several blasts from a shotgun in Barnes' direction. A call soon after from Barnes to Community Covenant offices apparently created confusion for a time, with one church source under the impression Barnes had been injured in the incident. That early report later proved inaccurate. Barnes at one time served as Community Covenant's youth director.

A total of five individuals were injured in the incident shortly after noon (PST), most suffering injuries from flying glass shards. The school is located about two blocks from the church where about two dozen Granite Hills students attend services, according to Community Covenant office manager Kathy Frederiksen.

This is the second time in three weeks that Community Covenant parishioners have been at high schools where shootings have taken place. Granite Hills High School is 13 miles from Santana High School, where two died and 13 others were injured in a shooting incident earlier this month. Two Santana students who attend Community Covenant and a parishioner who works as a librarian at Santana were unharmed.

Printable version of this page.