On January 3, 2007, 17-year-old Samnang Kok was shot and killed in a hallway at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington, just before the first bell on the day students returned from winter break. Samnang, described as joyful and devoted to his young son, was approached by an 18-year-old fellow student, Douglas Chanthabouly; after a brief exchange Chanthabouly fired a pistol at Kok’s face and then shot him two more times as he fell. Students and staff fled the scene; Chanthabouly ran but was arrested by police a few blocks from the school about two hours later and was booked for investigation of first-degree murder.

At trial the defense presented evidence that Chanthabouly suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and argued he did not comprehend his actions; the jury rejected an insanity defense and convicted him of second-degree murder. In June 2009 Chanthabouly was sentenced to over 23 years in prison. The motive was never definitively established; Chanthabouly refused to give a reason to police.

Does anyone have memories of Samnang at Foss High or information about the day that might help explain what happened?