May 18 began as any other day at LTHS would: students rushing to class, teachers sipping coffee to get through the day and a Monday morning gloom stronger than anyone could imagine. All of this suddenly changed when shrieks were heard coming from a physics classroom.

“I had no idea what had happened,” security guard Beatrice Safe said. “I ran into the classroom and was met by seven lifeless bodies strewn across the floor, and 13 more people paralyzed with shock. It was absolutely terrifying.”

Safe proceeded to contact the proper law enforcement agencies, but it was too late, she said.

“I thought I knew what I was doing,” physics teacher Gail Jepson said. “I must have turned the electricity up too high. My heart goes out to the families of all of the fallen students. I don’t know how I will ever forgive myself.”

The tragedy occurred when Jepson attempted to liven up her classroom with one of her self-proclaimed “awesome” demos. Twenty students stood in a line connected by their hands, and Jepson turned on the electricity. Immediately after the blast seven students fell to the floor, and the other 13 managed to disconnect just in time, she said.

“We will remember this day for many years to come,” Principal Brad Waterboy said. “Words cannot describe how unfortunate this was, but sadly there is nothing we can do to change it. What we must take away from this is the necessity to hire physics teachers who know what they are doing.”