On a grim afternoon in Olean, NY, a 62-year-old man named Earl Metcalf became the first victim in a deadly school shooting. The date was December 30, 1974, when 17-year-old Anthony F. Barbaro, an honor student and member of the school's rifle team, initiated a sniper attack at Olean High School, which was closed at the time for Christmas break. Barbaro, armed with a rifle and a shotgun, entered the school and proceeded to the third floor.
It was there he encountered Metcalf, a custodian who was on duty. Metcalf confronted Barbaro, and in that moment, became the first fatality of the violent episode.
From his vantage point on the third floor of the school, Barbaro began to shoot indiscriminately at people below. His actions resulted in a reign of terror that lasted for hours. By the time the ordeal was over, two other individuals had been fatally shot: 25-year-old Carmen Wright Drayton, who was pregnant, and 58-year-old Neal J. Pilon. In addition to the three deaths, eleven other people sustained injuries during the attack. The community was left in shock and mourning by the sudden and senseless violence that had unfolded.
Law enforcement, including local police, state troopers, and the National Guard, surrounded the school. After a standoff, officers entered the building and apprehended Barbaro, who was found unconscious after being exposed to tear gas. He was taken into custody and subsequently arraigned on three counts of second-degree murder, along with multiple counts of assault and reckless endangerment. Following his arrest, police discovered a journal in Barbaro's home that detailed his plans for the shooting.
While awaiting trial, Anthony F. Barbaro was held at the Cattaraugus County Jail. On November 1, 1975, before his trial could reach a conclusion, Barbaro took his own life in his jail cell. His death brought an end to the legal proceedings, leaving a community to grapple with the tragedy and the questions that would forever surround the events of that winter day.
