11th-Grader Shoots Himself During Class

A student from El Salvador was in extremely critical condition Wednesday night after shooting himself in the head during the final few minutes of an English as a second language class at Los Angeles High School.

Oscar Marquez, 18, reportedly called out the names of a couple of his friends who looked up from their workbooks to see him suddenly place a .22-caliber revolver to his temple and pull the trigger.

Wilshire Division Detective Frank Bolan said investigators talked to the young man’s classmates, friends and parents but were unable to learn why he did it.

Marquez was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was admitted to the intensive-care unit.

Police and a psychological crisis control team from Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters were rushed to the scene to investigate circumstances of the shooting and deal with its possible effects on students and teachers.

“We have no idea what caused him to do such a thing,” said Los Angeles High School Principal Patrick de Santis. “I believe everyone else is as shocked and mystified as I am.”

De Santis said the shooting took place in a first-floor classroom on the east side of the high school grounds where Marquez, an 11th-grader, was seated among about 30 classmates a few minutes after noon.

He said witnesses told him that the youth gave no indication of his intentions before he drew the weapon and fired.

Other students, however, told investigators that Marquez had informed several friends that he was “going to kill himself today.”

“We have conflicting statements,” Los Angeles police spokesman William Frio said. “We’re not really sure yet whether he was really trying to commit suicide or just playing some game.”

School district authorities said school records indicated that Marquez had arrived in the United States from El Salvador two years ago, attended Hollywood High School last year and transferred to Los Angeles High at the beginning of the current school year.

De Santis used the school’s public address system to inform the 3,100-member student body of what had happened. He said he considered dismissing classes for the day but decided instead to maintain the regular schedule.

“I just couldn’t see any legitimate end that would be served by telling everyone to go home,” he said.