Parents have lingering safety concerns for their kids following MCPS meeting about nearby shooting

GERMANTOWN, Md. — WUSA9 wasn’t allowed inside a Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) meeting on Tuesday evening. As a discussion regarding safety concerns unfolded, all media had to stay across the street from the school.

Afterward, we spoke with several parents who said they still have concerns about the safety of their kids.

“I’m like terrified, she was terrified. And then the school message came,” said Rama Medicherne after the meeting.

“They gave just facts,” said parent Yuki Nakandakari. “We need more than that.”

Parents say they need more details on a firm plan from the district after a student was arrested near the campus Friday, Sept. 6, and charged with possession of a gun on school grounds.

“That part really scared me because there’s no knowing what their intention was,” said student Alvaro Nakandakari. “With the security features in place, I think they could use work.”

One current student and his father told WUSA9 they left the meeting with more questions than answers.

“This meeting made me feel more stressed because I think it brought a lot of the unknown in the school system,” Nakandakari said.

Jaiden Ochieng, 16, was initially charged with attempted murder and assault after a different incident back in March. That’s when police say he tried to shoot a 15-year-old student as they got off the bus about five miles away from school.

“I am frustrated because my daughter was actually traveling on the same bus as the kid,” Alvaro Nakandakari said.

WUSA9 asked her if she felt like her daughter is safe.

“No not at all. I’m thinking about moving her to being homeschooled,” Medicherne said.

Now parents say the focus should be on ways to be proactive instead of reactive.

“We need to focus on the preventative actions, like what does it take to put in metal detectors? We really need that now,” Medicherne said.