Jeff Weise, the 16-year-old who shot nine people on the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota before taking his own life, "left messages with everybody" seeking help, a family member tells The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

"He was telling people over and over that he was hurting and needed some relief, but nobody seemed to provide any to him," Lee Cook, the director of the American Indian Cultural Center at Bemidji State University, said. Cook's cousin was Daryl "Dash" Lussier, Weise's grandfather. Lussier and his female companion were the first ones killed in the March 21, 2005, shootings.

Before the incident, Cook said Weise lost all of the people who were close to him. His father committee suicide and his mother suffered brain damage after a serious alcohol-related car accident and now lives in a nursing home.

Cook said Weise reached out to other people after going through rough times. Weise had been diagnosed with depression and was taking anti-depressants, which can increase the risk of suicide in young people. Weise made one such attempt last summer.

Weise had been recently banned from the Red Lake High School, where seven people were killed, for having problems with a teacher. Cook said he didn't know whether the teacher in question was Neva Rogers, who was killed.

In related news, Chris Dunshee, 57, the principal of the school was released from a hospital yesterday after suffering a heart attack. Superintendent Stuart Desjarlait, the school superintendent, will return to work on Monday after taking time off due to stress.

Jeff May, 16, one of the surviving victims of the shooting, remains in the hospital recovering from a gunshot to the face. Steven Cobenais, 16, another survivor, has been released.

Get the Story:
Weise's kin cite reasons for rage (The St. Paul Pioneer Press 4/29)
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Red Lake school principal released from MeritCare (The Bemidji Pioneer 4/29)
Principal recovering following heart attack (The Grand Forks Herald 4/28)
Red Lake principal getting better after heart attack (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 4/28)
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Relevant Links:
Red Lake Net News - http://www.rlnn.com
Red Lake Nation - http://www.redlakenation.org
Red Lake High School - http://www.paulbunyan.net/rlschools/hs.htm

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