Fund For Boy Killed in Murder-Suicide Raises Over $100,000 for His Family

SAN BERNARDINO – The family of the 8-year-old boy killed during a murder-suicide at the North Park Elementary School in the City of San Bernardino is asking for assistance to give him the proper burial.

Jonathan Martinez, 8, was living with Williams Syndrome which caused him to be developmentally delayed. Although the attack was targeted toward 53-year-old Special Education teacher, Karen Smith, two students were also struck before the gunman, Cedric Anderson, 53, of Riverside turned the gun on himself.

Authorities said that Anderson, who was a pastor and veteran married Smith in late January and were separated sometime since. Just months after the wedding, Anderson signed in at the school office at around 10:25 a.m. on Monday, April 10, 2017, walked over to Smith’s 1st-4th-grade class while school was in session. When he reached the classroom, Anderson fired several shots toward Smith. The classroom was occupied by approximately fifteen students and two instructional aides.

The two students standing behind Smith were struck by the gunfire. A 9-year-old boy was taken by ground ambulance to Loma Linda University Medical Center and remains in stable condition. Jonathan Martinez was airlifted to Loma Linda University Medical Center where died a few hours later, before making it into emergency surgery. Both Smith and Anderson died at the scene of the shooting.

Students were evacuated to Cajon High School located at 1200 West Hill Street in the City of San Bernardino, where they played board games, watched movies, and played with glow sticks while waiting for their parents to arrive. Family member, Brianna Lopez started a go fund me account to assist his family with meals and funeral expenses after the tragic loss. The Go Fund Me page was initially requesting $10,000, but has since reached over $115,000. If anyone would like to donate they can do so here.

North Park Elementary school will be closed until Monday, April 17, 2017. If the school closing causes a hardship for families, the San Bernardino City Unified School District said that childcare will be available at Del Vallejo Middle School on Thursday and Friday from 8:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

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