The parents and grandparents of Mason Campbell, the 12-year-old boy accused of shooting two fellow students at a New Mexico middle school, said Wednesday they're heartbroken and are praying for the wounded children.
"We are horribly sad over this tragedy on so many levels. We are praying that God will be with everyone who has been affected," Jim and Jennifer Campbell of Roswell, N.M., the suspect's parents, and Robert and Nancy Bowles, his grandparents, said in a written statement late Wednesday afternoon.
Campbell was charged with three felony assault counts Wednesday in the shootings Tuesday at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell. Two students were hurt -- an 11-year-old boy shot in the face and a 13-year-old girl, identified as Kendal Sanders, who was shot in the shoulder.
Here's the full statement:
On behalf of our entire family, we want to first say that our constant thoughts and our fervent prayers have been and are for the young man who was hurt and for the young woman who was hurt, Kendal Sanders, and we are praying for them to recover and for the medical personnel who are attending to them. We understand that the young man's family does not want his name released and so we will not identify him by name but we are praying fervently for him. We are also praying for their families. We are horribly sad over this tragedy on so many levels. We are praying that God will be with everyone who has been affected. For all of the anguish that many suffered yesterday, our family offers our heartfelt condolences and remorse in words that we cannot fully express.
We love our young son and grandson dearly as does everyone in his extended family. His whole family is heart broken as are many others in our tight-knit community in Roswell. This is a community that takes care of each other and loves each other and that is praying together. We are thankful that Judge Romero has ordered that our son receive an evaluation and mental health treatment and sincerely want him to receive all of the help that he needs.
As a family we will cooperate in all ways with law enforcement to piece together how this awful tragedy occurred. We have confidence in our capable southern New Mexico law enforcement, the District Attorney, and our Judges. We pray also for each of them as they undertake their hard work and investigative efforts.
We ask that everyone continue praying for the kids who were hurt and for all that have been awfully affected by this tragedy.
Jim and Jennifer Campbell
Parents
Robert and Nancy Bowles
Grandparents