Shooting at Chelsea High School
Victims
- Joseph Piasecki (47, Male), Administrator, Fatality
- Ronald Mead (43, Male), Administrator
- Phillip Jones (44, Male), Teacher
Shooter
Stephen Saunders Leith (Male), Teacher
Occurred on Dec 16, 1993
Chelsea chemistry teacher Stephen Leith left a grievance hearing at the high school, obtained a handgun, returned to the school, and shot and killed one person. Two others were shot and wounded by Leith, who had previously been disciplined for behavioral problems. Leith is currently serving a life sentence for Piasecki's murder. School Superintendent Joseph Piasecki, 47, was fatally shot, and Principal Ronald Mead, 43, and English teacher Phillip Jones, a 44- year-old union representative, were wounded. Leith, described as hot-tempered and outspoken but a good teacher, "felt that no one recognized his talents," said retired teacher Bud Janich. Some female students said they had complained to the principal that Leith, who had been a teacher for 15 years, made them uncomfortable by holding hands with them and touching their hair. Learn More (nytimes.com)
I was there. I was a student at Chelsea high school at the time. Although I wasnt present at the time of the shooting, myself and friends of mine heard the call go out on the radios of plainclothed police officers while we were in a deli shoppe downtown. When we overheard the news, we went up to the school which was already cordoned off by police and firefighters, etc. It was a scene of mayhem and pandemonium. The cops told us to go home, and so we left. The folowing months at school were pretty crazy.
- paul heidtman (01/23/2011)
In about 1973, even though I never was in one of Mr Piasecki's classes at Adams High School in Rochester Hills, MI he said something to me one day in the halls that has stayed with me my whole life. He said something about me mixing seriousness with joking around and that if I intended to say something serious then to say it in a serious way and not mask it with a joke. I thought that was good advise and have tried to live it all my life. I am very sorry to be hearing about this so long after.
- Bart Bedard (12/04/2011)