1998 Arkansas Middle School Shooter Killed in Car Crash

1998 Arkansas Middle School Shooter Killed in Car Crash

Drew Grant, who was previously known as Andrew Golden, a shooter who killed four students and one teacher when he was 11 years old, died in a two-car crash Saturday evening. The other driver crossed several lanes and crashed head-on into Grant’s car.

Drew Grant, who changed his name from Andrew Golden, was killed in a car crash Saturday evening. Eleven-year-old Grant and an accomplice shot and killed four students and one teacher at Westside Middle School in 1998.

According to the Arkansas State Police, Daniel Petty was the other man who was killed in the crash. According to KAIT, around 9 p.m. he drove left of the center-line, crossed a turn lane and both northbound lanes and hit Grant’s car head-on.

Three other people were injured in the crash and they were taken to hospitals to be treated.

Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said law enforcement is working under the premise that Grant, who legally changed his name from Andrew Golden, are “one in the same.”

Mitch Wright’s wife was the teacher at Westside who was killed in the shooting in 1998. He said that Golden’s death fills their family with mixed emotions, but they are saddened for his family.

“The news of Andrew Golden’s death today fills our family with mixed emotions as I’m sure it does with the other families and students of the Westside shooting,” Mitch said. “Mostly sadness. Sadness for his wife and son, sadness that that they too will feel the loss that we have felt. To his family, we are so sorry for your loss. We are praying that his wife and child will make a full recovery.”

About the Author

Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Door Hardware and Campus Security: Enhancing Safety in Schools

    The importance of investing in school safety cannot be overstated, but knowing where to start implementation of school safety features can be a challenge. A recent survey by the National Center on Education Statistics found that a quarter of U.S. public schools have classrooms with doors that can't be locked from the inside. Even among schools with doors that do lock, recent legislation reflects a common misconception that simply keeping the doors locked all day will eliminate the potential for an attack, in direct violation of PASS (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools) Guidelines. Read Now

  • Brigham Young University Strengthens Campus Security With Genetec Operations Center

    Genetec Inc, a provider of enterprise physical security software, announced that Brigham Young University's (BYU) has optimized its security operations with the Genetec™ Operations Center work management system. Read Now

  • AI-based Risk Mitigation: The Next Advancement in Video Surveillance and Public Safety

    Safety is at the forefront of every organization and covers a gamut of scenarios, not just weapon-fueled lethal threats. It also includes smaller-scale and everyday situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles, and more. These issues cause disruptions in daily operations and cost companies and facilities money and downtime, so a fully realized security plan must involve actions that facility personnel should take once a hazard of any size occurs. Informing everyone that a hazard exists, where it’s located, and what actions to take is imperative for maintaining personal safety. Read Now

  • Fort Worth ISD Strengthens Event Safety

    The issue of concealed weapons being introduced into school extracurricular activities, including sporting events and graduations, became a growing concern in communities across the nation. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were at least 202 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024 across the United States, resulting in 56 deaths and 147 injuries, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols. Read Now