Kendal Sanders ID'd as Girl Shot at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, NM

Kendal Sanders ID'd as Girl Shot at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, NM
Law enforcement personnel set up a perimeter after a shooting at Berrendo Middle School, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, in Roswell, N.M. A shooter opened fire at the middle school, injuring at least two students before being taken into custody. (AP Photo/Roswell Daily Record, Mark Wilson)
Zachary Stieber
1/14/2014
Updated:
1/14/2014

Kendal Sanders, 13, has been identified as one of the two Berrendo Middle School students who were shot on Tuesday by another student.

Sanders was initially listed as critical but has been updated to serious.

She and an unidentified 11-year-old boy are recovering at the UMC Health System in Lubbock, Texas, reported the Albuquerque Journal.

The boy is in critical condition.

The suspected shooter, a 12-year-old boy who has not yet been identified, is in custody.

Family members told the Journal that the female victim was Sanders.

An unidentified staff member talked the suspect into putting down the shotgun he used to shoot the two other students. He was He was “quickly stopped by one staff member who walked right up to him and asked him to set down the firearm, which he did,” Gov. Susana Martinez said

Sanders was shot in the arm while the boy was shot in the face near his eye, according to witnesses.

Superintendent Tom Burris said the school’s faculty had participated in active shooter training, and they responded appropriately Tuesday.

“In the 10 seconds that transpired from the time of this thing starting until the teacher had control of the weapon, there was no cowardice,” Burris said. “There was protection for our kids. Everyone acted and did their duties today at Berrendo Middle School.”

Odiee Carranza, an eighth grader at Berrendo, said she was walking to the school gym when the suspect bumped into her as he rushed past. She told him to be careful, and he apologized and continued on. The boy ran to the gym, where he pulled a gun from a band instrument case and fired at the students.

“Then he shot up in the sky, then dropped the gun, and then some teacher grabbed the kid that had the gun,” Carranza said.

Carranza described the shooter as a “smart kid and a nice kid.”

Student Gabby Vasquez said the boy who was shot “was really nice, got along with everybody.” Hospital officials said Tuesday afternoon that the 11-year-old underwent surgery but was still in critical condition.

State Police Chief Pete Kassetas said the investigation was in the early stages, and authorities were still looking into a possible motive. He estimated more than 100 students and faculty members needed to be interviewed.

“I don’t have a lot of answers as of yet,” Kassetas said, adding police believe they have the only individual responsible for the shooting in custody. The suspect’s name was not released.

“I want to make sure the community knows there’s really nobody else out there,” Kassetas said.

Story developing; check back for updates

The Associated Press contributed to this report.