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Reuters
Policemen carry the body of an American teacher shot dead by a student at a school in Sulaimaniya, Iraq, on Thursday.
Updated at 2 p.m. ET
SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq -- The quarrel at a Christian school in northern Iraq was at first easily ignored by other students: a disagreement between a classmate and a teacher that could barely be heard. But it quickly escalated into gunfire Thursday in a murder-suicide marking the rare violent death of an American in Iraq's most peaceful region.
Authorities in Iraq's northern Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah said 18-year-old Biyar Sarwar shot his gym teacher, U.S. citizen Jeremiah Small, before turning the gun on himself at a private English-speaking school during a morning sports lecture. Sarwar died later at a nearby hospital.
Small was from Cosmopolis, a town in western Washington state near the coast. His father, J. Dan Small, confirmed the death on his Facebook page. "Our oldest, Jeremiah, was martyred in Kurdistan this a.m.," the elder Small wrote.
Eyewitnesses in Iraq described a scene of chaos in the classroom, with some students fainting in fear after gunfire shattered the morning class.
Ahmed Mohammed said he was sitting in the front of the classroom and paid little attention to the argument when it first erupted. He said he could barely hear what was happening because Sarwar was at the back of the room.
"Then I heard the gunshot," said Mohammed, his face pale as he recounted the scene. "I turned my head and saw the body of the American teacher on the ground with blood near it. All the students started to run out of the room. Seconds later, as I was running to the reach the school gate, I heard another gunshot."
A short time later, another student shouted that Sarwar had killed himself, Mohammed said.
"So I rushed back to the class with other students to see the teacher on the ground with three bullets in his head and chest, and bloody, and Biyar with a bullet in his head."
Sulaimaniyah police spokesman Sarkawit Mohammed, no relation to Ahmed, said the shooting appeared to be a murder-suicide, but provided no motive. He said Sarwar hid the gun in his clothes before the lecture at the Medes School, a private Christian academy of elementary through secondary grade level classes.
The Medes program runs three schools in the provinces that make up Iraq's northern Kurdish region, boasting an enrollment of about 2,000 students. According to the schools' website, American staff often teach one or two courses each semester. An estimated 95 percent of the students are from Kurdish Muslim families.
Students described Small as a devout Christian who frequently praised Christianity and prayed in the classroom. However, Sulaimaniyah Mayor Zana Hama Saleh said Small was not a missionary and cast doubt that the killing was motivated by sectarian issues because Sarwar "had no radical religious tendencies."
"Maybe the student had mental problems," Saleh said.
The Nashville, Tenn.-based Servant Group International, for whom Small worked, confirmed his identity and described him as a beloved mentor to the more than 1,000 Iraqi students he taught since 2005.
Jeff Dokkestul, a Servant Group International board member, said Small was one of nine American teachers at the Sulaimaniyah school, which he said is run by Iraqi Kurds. Although Dokkestul said the groups' teachers are Christian, he maintained that they do not proselytize their students.
"We believe this is an isolated incident, just like (what) happens in the U.S.," Dokkestul said in an interview. He said the school operates "as a Christian school serving the Muslim and Christian community, a mixed community."
Sulaimaniyah is located in Iraq's comparatively peaceful Kurdish region, 160 miles (260 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad. The Kurdish region has generally been free of the bombings and shootings that have plagued the rest of Iraq in recent years. Foreigners, including American citizens, usually travel freely around northern Iraq without the armed guards or armored vehicles often used in the rest of the country.
A team from the U.S. consulate in Irbil, the Kurdish region's capital, was in Sulaimaniyah to identify Small's body but was unable by Thursday night to do so.
"We have heard reports regarding the shooting of a teacher in Sulaimaniyah and are working through our consulate in Irbil and Iraqi authorities to ascertain the details of the incident," the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement. "At this time, we are waiting for identification to be completed and for the family to be notified."
Medes student Neyan Kamal said Small was highly respected, and described Sarwar as smart.
"I'll never forget these cruel moments," said Kamal, who was in the classroom during the shooting. "I have no idea what the motive was — both were good people."
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Leave a Comment:
I really need to hear some happier news soon. Any reports of good things happening in Iraq or Afghanistan? Anything?
People are nuts...
No way, this is a major news source...they don't post good, uplifting, or remotely postive news here.
I remember wanting to punch my junior high gym teacher, but killing him would have been overreacting.
Get out and vote for RON PAUL and get out of these countries! Then if you are a civilian and want to go there and get killed, it isn't news, it is your own fault!
Sad - There is nothing good coming out of that part of the world - Afgan "security" forces are continuing to shoot dead their American trainers - Iraq continues to be plagued by violence - syria is under siege - one would think that with all that loud, violent noise from that part of the world, we would get the message and leave them to their own devices
Yep, good news is that O'Bama hasn't apologized to anyone yet this week.
The only good news would be the US pulling up stakes and leaving ASAP.
It truely is a terrible thing that happened. At the same time I have to ask myself why in the world would an American civilian choose to teach Physical Education in Iraq at this juncture. Even if it is a "peaceful" portion of the country "without security for americans". I too, must ask myself about the quality of news being reported and its positive versus negative impact on people. I suppose journalists need to make a living and keep digging and digging for stories as this one is very negative and occurred in a very remote region. There have also been recent headline articles about "Americas rudest cities" "Americas most stressful cities" ad nauseum. How about "Amerias most pleasant cities" and a little bit of posititivity instead of continous stories about strangulations and stabbings etc. I know they occur and are newsworthy. Yet so many good deeds and pleasant things occur as well that are worthy of being heralded....msn news is starting to read a bit like "pulp-nonfiction".....life does have newsworthy pleasantries that would be nice to comment about.
Preach brother!
Boy newswinner you really been sucking up the liberal kool-aid haven't you ? Got any original thoughts of your own.......thouhgt not....just a parrot !!
Yes, MickeyG, the thought that I just had is that Paulbots are also dumb.
There are "good news" articles on this and other Internet websites every single day, if you're inclined to see the good. Much like those who see only the dot on an otherwise clean white sheet of paper, you'll find plenty of "bad news" if that's all you're inclined to notice or remember. Let's not forget that a glass that is half-empty for the pessimist is also half-full for the optimist.
Geez, and I thought Kurdestan was pretty quiet and stable. In any event there must have been others around if it was reported that there was an argument. What was the argument about?
I think thats great advice asknreceive1: Thanks for the reminder (I mean it seriously not remotely sarcastically, truely). I suppose the bad news headlines overwhelm me at times and brings forth my pessimism when I am truely an optimistic individual for the most part. I guess the bad news is hard to ignore when it is in bold print with photographs. I certainly find good news preferable and attempt to seek it out wherever possible. I for one as well am certainly in agreement and try to see the glass as half full. I must admit that is not always easy to achieve given the headlines.
The P.E. teacher was probably a pedophile who couldn't teach in the States and went to Kurdistan to find new victims...one of his victims probably was upset and shot him.
JJ - johnnyreb - This teacher was a civilian and IT made the news???
The teacher said, "Ok class, now let's do some Jumping Jacks." The kid retorts, "Here in Iraq they are called Hopping Husseins." And then it started.
Good things happening in Iraq? This news is a proof of the American system well established in Iraq - mission accomplished. Isn't that good enough for you?
MickeyG RVN 66-68 - Where were you when you were in Vietnam? Welcome Home and Thank You for your Service. Please read www.riflewarrior.com/vietnam.html I was there from Jun-66 till Mar-69. Peace.
I am a bit shocked to read that there is a Christian school in Iraq.
Well Jack, maybe O should say he's sorry that you are such an a-hole.
My glass has a crack on the side of it.
The only news worth reading anymore is that our soldiers are coming home (sooner the better). there is nothing there for our soldiers worth staying.
Our combat troops were removed from Iraq some time ago. This was a teacher working in a Kurdish area of the country. I don't disagree with your sentiment, especially as it pertains to Afghanistan, but it simply does not apply here.
If we could see the confidential messages, we'd probably be surprised at how many troops are STILL in Iraq.
I bet if you were to have an up and down vote in congress. The republicans wouln't let our people come home.
Hell, Mc Cain and Graham want to arm the Syrian rebels.
O' Bumma said we were going to leave this year and got booed in congress.
Where are all the protestor like in the Vietnam era no where. The war isn't even being discussion by any republicans runnin' for president.
Dog, brush up on your writing and sentence structure skills and you might get a rise out of us. Right now, we just want to send you to the 2nd grade. BTW, next time you hear grown folks talking, shut the f*ck up, ya hear?
He did us allah favor.
We have school shootings in Iraq now? Jeez.
Shame on Bush and his cowboys: look what they got us into??
Robb99! You sure got that right! Bush should of never sent anyone there in the first place. American needs to worry about it's own people and stop trying to inject thier ways in other countrys. Not everyone wants to eat McDonalds.
I agree with you but there is a lot of sabre rattling over Syria and Iran now. The mil Industrial Complex never saw a war they didn't like. the little kind, that isn't a direct military threat to the 50 states but allows them to get filthy stinkin rich selling equip and services to0 the gubmint is the best kind for them. Syria and Iran fill that bill very nicely. And Oh yeah, a few thousand of you commoners will have to die to make it happen.
you can thank Bush for the price of oil too.....
wolfpack, maybe we can squeeze a couple barrels from your hair.
Bull. Oil prices have always fluctuated under all presidents. It's called supply and demand.
You Leftist loons should take heed of a conversation between MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Gloria Borger of CBS, and Bob Woodward of the Washington Post (all hardcore liberals). It occurred on Matthews' Sunday show in 2007 after the Democrats started playing politics with the war effort:
Woodward: "One of the things that we forget as we’re caught in the heat of the current debate: this is a legal war. The Congress three to one in 2002 said, gave Bush the right to go to war. He decided to do it. So, you know what really amazes me is that Bush, and Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid don’t get together and say, “We’ve got to come up with a bipartisan strategy and consensus on this.” We’re all in to a certain extent in this war. And we owe it to the troops."
Matthews: “Do you think the Democrats are willing to be party to this war, or they’re trying to get disengaged from it?”
Woodward: “They are a party to this war. They voted for it.”
Borger: "They don’t want ownership of this war, Chris. I mean, I think the Democrats are trying to have it both ways. If you definitely cut off funding, then you have ownership of what comes next."
Woodward: "If everyone’s thinking about politics and not the troops on the ground. Those people are our surrogates, and we owe them everything, and we can’t even reach political consensus in this country."
Matthews: "But what happens when you have a country that is so divided if you just poll regular people about this war, so much against this war, but yet the commander-in-chief is for the war. How do you reach a consensus between a majority who don’t want the war, and a president who wants one? How do you do it?"
Woodward: "I think that people have to rise above politics and party here. And, think, I’ve talked to these people who have come back from Iraq, and in communication with some there, and they wonder: “What the hell is going on in America? What? You know, we’re here, they sent us here. And we’re talking about cutting off funding.”
Prior to Viet Nam (which the Democrats got us into), domestic politics stopped at the border. America presented a united front to the rest of the world.
The American Left destroyed that in the 60's and 70's. They put Party politics above the good of the country then and continue to do so to this day.
So right you are. They can't exist without a boogeyman.
Every Democrat I saw was cheering when we invaded.
The price of gas was 99 cents a gallon when Clinton was in office.......
It is little known fact that they love us over there, I saw it on Fox this morning. We are secretly being showered with roses every day it is just not being reported by the lame stream media who serve up the socialist agenda. The light is at the end of the tunnel all we need to do is spend another half a trillion dollars by next year and we will have them on their knees!
Putin is just another Russian Dictator.
A little gay relationship gone sour maybe??? I'm only wondering because he shot himself.
are you saying they are buttbuddy???
Probably was heart-broken already from having to say good-bye to his GAY ARMY lover. Gay Pride keeps me ARMY STRONG!!
Why are there American teachers in Iraq? Shouldn't the US be concentrating on teaching our OWN kids?
I would think so!
fortunately, there are americans who see the world as bigger than themselves. not all of us are as selfish and isolationist as most people seem to be on here. besides, where is it written that an american teacher CANNOT go to some other country (of their own choice) and teach? show it to me. i know you can't.
The teacher wanted to bring gym to the world?
I'm sure our tax dollars are paying their wages.
More like his johnson to the bunghole!
Not only that... A gym teacher? Are they in dire need of physical exercise over there?
Maybe he lost his job due to GOP education cuts and it was all he could find?
Sounds like a good place for the teachers in California molesting their students.
mathuin, yeah our students would never do such things!
Devils son, wasn't he your personnel trainer
I know several teachers who've relocated to various countries to teach because. . .wait for it. . .the wages are higher and they see a world that is much larger than just the continent of North America and our humble slice of it known as the United States. Pssssst: I just heard that the world is round, not flat. I know! I couldn't believe it either!
First of all, are you all justifying this in your minds by assuming this guys is a child molester? Some kid in an Iraqi Christian School shot dead his teacher. This guys goes over there, because he wants to share a message that the world is a bigger place, with a bigger purpose, than we might believe. So he teaches gym. My wife worked at a christian school in Indonesia, and you know what they needed her for... to teach gym. Wow, crazy thought that maybe kids all around the world need some exercise, weird. Schools tend to have set curriculums... I don't feel like I should have to explain that to people. But then again most people who post comments on here know absolutely nothing about what they are talking about, make irrational justifications about things, and fail to follow up on figuring anything out on their own. Anyway, I'm done venting. This was a good person, doing a good thing, in a bad place. We should be praising him, not degrading him. For real.
another apology in order? that calmed things down. how about using Ron Paul's foreign policy and economic stance? vote RON PAUL 2012
yeah , let isolate and make pretend nothing else matters, that will keep us safer...Paul is a fraud. funky philosophical dude, but not a president. there is a reality going on that the USA must engage or we will perish in our emptiness putting bags over our heads, dying in our govt. job complacency or our corporate franchise appetite pro sports feeding the CEO machine until we are so trapped in a digital box and dead end job many will never find their purpose. Jesus is Lord and the only way home.
When all is said and done, this will probably be a Sandusky type situation, only the kid took matters into his own hands.
Nah, that's Afghanistan you're thinking of. Google: "Afghanistan thursdays"
Should not be there in the first place, when you do something stupid you usally pay for it. If this person was a queer then this was a good thing.
People shouldn't die just because of their sexual orientation.
Kat, I sadly disagree.
Should have gotten out while the getting was good, dummy!
Article title fixed: Atheist teacher shot by religious fanatic student
No good deed goes unpunished. Leave them be, and cut the losses.
"U.S. forces withdrew from Iraq in December, nearly nine years after the invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, which was followed by a fierce insurgency and sectarian conflict."
Please choose the right word MSNBC, you are insulting Americans! We were there to help Iraqi people from a dictator Saddam Hussein, have respect to your country MSNBC.
Their country is china... That's where almost all microsoft products are made.
Phantom, we were there and are still there because they tried to kill bushes da da.
This doesn't sound like anything different than happens in your average American school a couple of times every year.
I agree with you Anita. We tend to generalise, but really this seems to be an isolated incident, at least for the region concerned.
When I was in high school, one of the students had an argument with a teacher and tried to stab him, so these things happen unfortunately, even here.
Maybe the TEACHER was really and evangelist trying to convert him and at the same time mocked his religion. If so, good riddance
Radical Muslim talk. Good riddance to you and all your murderous kind.
More like: AWANANAL!
Choch that is not the point---the point is that the war raised much hatred toward Americans--all of us and no matter how much we try to help them they or at least the children will continue to hate us.
Good hearts but they don't want us there---so maybe the time has come for us to leave there completely--no more teachings, no more food nor more medical help---they don't want it from US!
Yeah awabnavi, that makes a lot of sense, the guy teaches in Iraq, a country with a vast majority of muslims, and he makes fun of Islam. Man he must have been stupid don't you think? What's with the hate anyway?
R.I.P. Both of them
If the President called for an up and down vote on pulling out of Afganistan.
The republicans would defeat the with drawal. That's a fact. They'd play the coward card with O'Barma,well that dog won't hunt.
How come there are no protestors on the the streets like Vietnam? You know why, not enough people have a dog in this fight .
So bring back the draft. Write to your congreesman and ask where is the out rage. I don't hear it on the campaign trail. Tell Cheney,Blackwater, and Bectal they have made enoughblood money.
Dog, one problem with your theory is that the President has set a withdrawal date no vote needed, but I'm sure Cheney helped in his decision.
Some of you people just want to spread hate, fear, and stupidity.
Would you please read the entire article,.... sit back.....reflect, then comment on the article if you find you have something to say. Some people have something to say but wont, (about the article that is)
"It is an ordinary criminal incident"? I doubt it. Nothing in the Middle-East is ever an "ordinary criminal incident."
Cletus, the fact he killed himself shows it was personnel.
wlee..that arguement doesnt hold up. Every suicide bomber kills himself when they detonate their bombs as part of a terrorist act. So because they killed themselves, it was personal?? The terrorists who crashed the planes also died in the crash, so that made those personal attacks? At this point in time, we have no idea why the student shot the teacher and then himself. And just because the student took his own life, does not necessarily mean this was a personal incident.
Tigger , you're talking oranges and apples, the missions you talk about were suicide missions where there was no chance of them coming back alive Twin towers first attempt no death involved, wasn't a suicide mission. Your argument doesn't hold water.
Simple.........Get the troops home......and we all can sit back with some popcorn and watch them kill each other on the news stations that have forgotten how to report real news.
Pissed, just in case you missed the article this was in Iraq, the troops are home.
What a shame...the loss of an American teacher. He really should have left a long time ago. On the positive side, just another sand loving, towel head is dead and gone to.
All Americans need to get out of the Middle East! Then we burn all their Qurans and then nuke them all.
Somebody should tell Iraqis not to copy all of our "democratic" ways. Students killing teachers has a patent and we Americans don't like others to copy, steal our patents. Don't they have anti-piracy laws in Iraq? Well, if they don't, then there ought to be a law. Tell them I don't want to hear anymore about this, otherwise, we could send back "our heroes" back for seconds. You have been warned. There will not be another one.
All we did was accidentally burn their "book"... Obama took it upon himself to apologize for that. An Iraqi SHOT and KILLED an AMERICAN... Hmmm.. think there will be an apology from them??? Not likely....
I'm sure an apology is in order for forcing this muslim jihadist to attend this private school.