Jose Reyes was a 12-year-old boy living in Sparks, Nevada.
Jose Reyes was a 12-year-old boy living in Sparks, Nevada. His friends said that he loved nothing more than telling jokes but he could never quite get to the punch line before busting out laughing. He worked in his family’s restaurant and with his hard-earned money, he would purchase candy and ice-cream for him and his friends.
Less than ten minutes after Reyes’ mother dropped him off at Sparks Middle School on the 21st of October, 2013, Reyes and a well-loved math teacher, Michael Landsberry, would be dead from gunshot wounds.
That morning, Reyes had armed himself with his parents’ 9mm Ruger pistol and two magazines of ammunition. Upon entering the basketball courts of Sparks Middle School, Reyes – who was said by witnesses to be crying – opened fire with the semi-automatic handgun.
First, he shot 12-year-old KJ Kersey in the shoulder. Michael Landsberry rushed over and desperately tried to talk Reyes into handing over the weapon, giving other students a chance to flee. Instead, Reyes pointed the weapon at Landsberry and shot him dead. Reyes then turned the gun on 12-year-old Mason Davis who ran to Landsberry’s assistance and shot him in the stomach. Afterwards, Reyes shot himself in the head. Both Kersey and Davis survived their injuries.
The investigation into the shooting painted a grim picture of bullying and depression.
Reyes was troubled by depression and tormented by a school life where he was mocked, teased and mistreated. Just days before the shooting, Reyes’ father took him to a psychotherapist who prescribed him Prozac after he explained that he was being bullied at school. Reyes told the psychotherapist that classmates mercilessly mocked him; he said that they called him “gay” and accused him of wetting his pants.

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