By Trina A. San Agustin
and Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

ON THE same day that Southern High School student Jeremy Newby died as a result of school violence that took place last year, several students at a middle school were shot with a pellet gun, according to the Guam Police Department.
On Friday, the assistant principal of Vicente S.A. Benavente Middle School in Dededo told police that a 14-year-old student carrying a plastic pellet gun to school had shot and injured several other students on campus.
“The incident occurred during school hours when the 14-year-old began shooting at students with the pellet gun, which shoots plastic bullets,” said GPD public information officer Allan Guzman.
Guzman said the case remains under investigation by GPD’s Juvenile Investigation Section.
Students who were shot by the pellet gun were reported to have sustained minor injuries.
Meanwhile, the acting superintendent of education, Kenneth Chargualaf, was not able to return Variety phone calls for comment as of press time.
‘End the violence’
Meanwhile, the peacemaker group Inafa’ Maolek Conciliation is holding a prayer breakfast at the Hilton Resort and Spa on Saturday as part of its campaign to end youth violence.
The all-day event, which is open to the public, is cosponsored by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and Life Teen Guam.
The breakfast forum, according to Inafa’ Maolek founder and president Pat Wolff, is “directed at reducing youth violence, especially fights in school.”
“This event is very timely considering the death of Jeromy Newby. But we organized this before Jeromy passed away.” Wolff said.
Newby was the alleged victim of school violence. He was beaten by a 14-year-old at the Southern High campus on Oct. 20, 2006. Newby was found by his peers at the school and they had to walk him to the nurse’s office. He reportedly waited for an hour before school officials called the medics.
Newby passed away on Jan. 6 at 2:40 a.m. after being in a coma for over two-months. He was 15.
The 14-year-old suspect is being held at the Department of Youth Affairs.
The Attorney General’s Office has taken the lead in the case as they determine whether to petition the courts on how to charge the minor—as an adult or a minor.
Wolff, meanwhile, said the prayer breakfast “will involve the much bigger issue of fighting in schools.”
“What happened to Jeromy could happen in other places because fighting happens a lot,” he added.
Organizers said the breakfast forum will tackle various types of fighting including those that are “racially-related” and “hate motivated. 
The event starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.  Registration may be done at the door on Jan. 13 or on Wednesday by 5 p.m. Organizers are charging a $5 registration fee for those 17 years and below,  and $10 for adults.