Crossbow
(IN PHOTO) A man and a boy shoot with a crossbow during the 'Gamsjagatage' festival (chamois hunting days) in the alpine village of Bad Goisern, in Austria's province of Upper Austria, August 25, 2012. Gamsjagatage is a folkloristic festival presenting traditional music and other events, taking place once a year at the end of August. Reuters

Because he is still a minor, a 13-year-old Spanish boy would not be charged criminally after going on a crossbow rampage on Monday. Using the weapon, he killed a substitute teacher and injured four others in Barcelona.

The incident happened exactly on the 16 years anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre that resulted in the death of a teacher and 12 students and then the student-gunmen killed themselves, reports the New York Times.

The student arrived late for his 8 am class and was reprimanded by his teacher because he came in at 9:30 am. In anger, the boy pulled out the crossbow and hit her on the head. After that, he also struck another classmate with the crossbow’s arrows who was the teacher’s daughter, also a student in the same class.

Students from other classrooms who heard the shouts locked their rooms to be safe, according to Gemma Jarque, a student in the same school. Another tutor, a substitute teacher who taught social studies for one week, heard the screams and checked what was happening.

The student also shot the male substitute teacher who died at the scene. He had shot one more teacher and another student before the police arrived to arrest the boy.

The two wounded students and one teacher were brought to a hospital in Barcelona for treatment. The other teacher did not require hospitalisation and was treated in the school.

A female student described the boy with the crossbow as a loner. He was also the victim of bullying by other students, she disclosed. He allegedly have a hit list of people he wanted to get even.

Children below 14 who commit crimes in Spain cannot be charged or even be sent to a youth detention facility. But the Justice Ministry said the troubled teen would most likely be sent to a mental institution. He is currently undergoing psychiatric testing.

Meanwhile, an autopsy is being performed on the substitute teacher to determine the cause of his death, AP reports.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au

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