Teacher accused of shooting 2 educators
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - An elementary school teacher is accused of shooting and wounding the principal and assistant principal at his school yesterday about an hour after children were dismissed because of snow.
Police charged Mark Stephen Foster, 48, of Clinton, with two counts of attempted first-degree murder after the shooting at Inskip Elementary School. The school website identifies Foster as a fourth-grade teacher.
University of Tennessee Medical Center officials said principal Elisa Luna was in critical condition and assistant principal Amy Brace was in stable condition yesterday.
“We’re very saddened by this tragedy,’’ Knox County Schools superintendent James McIntyre Jr. said. “Thankfully there were no students involved.’’
The profile for Foster includes a picture and description that says, “I love teaching 4th grade. Every child is a winner.’’
Tennessee Department of Education spokeswoman Rachel Woods said Foster received an apprentice teacher license for grades K-6 in the summer of 2007. An apprentice license is issued when someone first starts teaching, before they have tenure, she said.
Foster was arrested a short distance from the school after his car was stopped at a highway construction roadblock, Police Chief Sterling Owen IV said. He surrendered without incident and police said they recovered a revolver. It wasn’t immediately known if he had an attorney.
Authorities weren’t offering a motive.
