Conard Community Reacts to Abbotsford Avenue Shooting Incident

Tuesday afternoon’s shooting on Abbotsford Avenue, which resulted in the arrest of five students, created tension at the school Wednesday morning.

Reports indicate that the shooting was the result of an escalated personal conflict regarding a female student at Conard. One of the students was charged with the shooting of 19-year-old Wilfredo Texidor, who remains in critical condition at Hartford Hospital with a bullet wound to the neck.

“The first we learned about any problem was yesterday morning and we got the police involved right away,” said Dr. Peter Cummings, Principal of Conard High School. “No one could confirm any rumors about the conflict, but we do know that the kid involved was a student at REACH.”

REACH is West Hartford’s alternative high school which is located in a separate building on the Conard campus.

Cummings said that the administration is taking this situation very seriously, and did stress that although Conard students were involved, “This was an outside of school incident.” His first priority is ensuring the safety of Conard’s students, Cummings said. He addressed staff and students over the loudspeaker Wednesday morning, and a letter will be sent home to parents Wednesday afternoon.

Counselors and teachers are also prepared to address any concerns the students may have. “We have now scheduled a homeroom period tomorrow to talk to kids about the incident, to review and discuss how to de-escalate a situation like this,” Cummings said.

“Right now the police are handling the investigation of what led up to this incident,” said Cummings, who did not offer any further details about alleged bullying or the nature of the conflict.

According to Cummings, “The investigation has not indicated that there was ever a gun at school.” That possibility, however, seemed to be the biggest concern of parents.

Angela Martin, a Conard parent who is also president of the , first became aware of the incident when she drove her son to school Wednesday morning. She said, “My primary concern is that there’s a larger story here. Did that boy have the gun with him at school?”

Martin said that this incident “has not changed my opinion one iota about Conard. It’s a fabulous school, but this is a red flag to us all. We need to be very diligent about this issue. She praised the efforts that Tom Moore, assistant superintendent for administration for the , is making to address the issue of bullying.

One Conard parent who did not wish to be identified said, “My immediate reaction to the story on the news was concern and fear. I'm never shocked by these types of stories anymore, as it seems they go on all the time – rarely in West Hartford, I'll grant you, but watch the news any night of the week and these incidents are happening constantly.

"I'm concerned that these kids, who are around my boys on a daily basis, would be carrying a gun and would have no hesitation in using it. He was eating a piece of pound cake when he pulled the trigger.”

The mother of a Conard student also voiced concern about the apparent length of time – 55 minutes – it took for the police to respond to the initial report of a disturbance. She said that she had not noticed a bullying problem at Conard. “This is a large diverse school with large diverse problems like the rest of the country. It’s so sad and frightening.”

The following is the text of Principal Cummings’ message to the Conard students Wednesday morning. It will also be reproduced in the letter sent home to parents:

“This is Dr. Cummings. As many of you know, there was an incident yesterday afternoon in the community involving Conard students and people who do not go to school here. A conflict escalated to the point where someone was critically injured. When something like that happens, the entire Conard family suffers. Your teachers, parents, and I are all as upset and confused as many of you are. We get through incidents like this by pulling together as a community. Our first priority is to continue to keep each student and adult in the building safe, and it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to make that happen. Being a safe community means that we support one another; that we talk to adults when a person is in danger; that we seek help when we need it; and that we take the time to reach out and resolve differences before they get out of control. If you have questions or need support, please talk to your teachers, guidance counselors, or an administrator.  We will get through this difficult situation together. I count on you to show that Conard is a place that has wonderful students and a supportive community, and the actions of a few do not reflect on who we are as a school. Please feel free to talk with me throughout the day of you have questions. Thank you.”