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Official Statements

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Demetrius Hewlin passed away Tuesday morning. His family made the following statement:

"We are very saddened by the loss of our son and others in our Chardon community. Demetrius was a happy young man who loved life and his family and friends. We will miss him very much but we are proud that he will be able to help others through organ donation. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."

Family members of Daniel Parmertor released the following statement Monday afternoon:

"We are shocked by this senseless tragedy. Danny was a bright young boy who had a bright future ahead of him. The family is torn by this loss. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time. "

Russell King's family released the following statement Tuesday afternoon:

"We would like to thank the public for their continued support. We would also like to extend our sympathy to the families of the victims of this senseless tragedy. We ask that Russell be remembered for who he was, a strong boy with a big heart. He will be missed by many. He was so full of life and we are honoring his wishes to help others by donating his organs. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time."

Governor Kasich issued the following statement in response to the shooting at Chardon High School.

"Please join me in praying for the students who've been injured in this horrible crime.  Praise goes to the Chardon Police and Geauga County Sheriff's office for quickly getting this situation under control.  I've pledged Ohio's full support to them, the school and the local community in this difficult time."

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown released the following statement after several students were shot at Chardon High School.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the Chardon community today. I join Ohioans across the state in praying for the speedy recovery of the students that have been injured," Brown said. "I stand ready to provide whatever assistance possible to the victims and their families-as well as to local, state, and federal law enforcement to ensure that the suspect is brought to justice."

Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan:

"The shootings at Chardon High School are an unspeakable tragedy, and our hearts go out to the entire community as they grieve this terrible and senseless loss. It's still too early to know yet why a student took a firearm to school and shot his classmates. But preliminary reports indicate that if it were not for the extraordinary courage of a teacher who chased the shooter out of the school, and if not for the speedy reaction of school leaders, the toll of these shootings could have been even worse. Our thoughts today are with the children, the teachers, and the parents of Chardon. The Department has been in touch with the superintendent's office to offer our help and support. And we will do everything in our power in coming weeks and months to help support the Chardon community as it recovers from this tragedy."