On a cold January morning in 1985, the quiet community of Goddard, Kansas, was shattered by an act of violence that would leave a lasting scar. James McGee, the 35-year-old male principal of Goddard Junior High School, was known as a dedicated educator and a respected figure in the town. A former Marine Corps officer, he was committed to his students and the school he led.
At the time of his death, his wife, Crystal, was pregnant with their fourth child.
On January 21st, a 14-year-old student named James Alan Kearbey arrived at the school armed with an M1A semi-automatic rifle and a. 357-caliber Magnum pistol belonging to his father. He entered the building just before 11 a.m. and was soon confronted by Principal McGee in a hallway. When McGee questioned him about the weapons, Kearbey opened fire, fatally wounding the principal and injuring two teachers and a student.
Kearbey was taken into custody shortly after the shooting. The incident, which was the only fatal school shooting in Kansas history at the time, deeply shocked the nation. In the aftermath, it was revealed that Kearbey had been having academic and social difficulties at school. He pleaded no contest and was found guilty of murder and three counts of aggravated assault in March 1985. Due to his age, he was sentenced as a juvenile and was released from custody in 1991. The tragic and senseless death of James McGee prompted a change in Kansas law, lowering the age at which a juvenile could be prosecuted as an adult for serious crimes. The community of Goddard honored their slain principal's memory by erecting a new bell tower at the school, a lasting tribute to the man who gave his life trying to protect his students.
