Normally I post positive stories about Mandarin immersion. But this is so heartbreaking. A young Mandarin immersion teacher in North Carolina was shot in during a robbery. The community is rallying to help bring her family from China to say good-bye to her before she’s taken off life support. My prayers go out to the family and the community at Kensington Elementary.

Elementary school teacher shot during attempted robbery

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has confirmed a mandarin-language immersion teacher at Kensington Elementary school was shot by a robber Friday night.

Police say the shooting took place on the 100 block of East Park Avenue in Charlotte’s busy SouthEnd neighborhood at 11:33 p.m. Friday after the victim was getting into a vehicle.

Upon arrival, officers located Ruijuan Guo, suffering from a gunshot wound. Guo was transported to Carolinas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

The police report states Guo, her boyfriend and friend were preparing to get into their car when they were approached by the suspect. The suspect pulled a gun on them and asked for the boyfriend’s wallet. The police report stated he could not get his wallet out of his pocket fast enough so the suspect shot his girlfriend in the head and then ran off.

The police reports states the robber got away with the man’s wallet, which contained his driver’s license, social security card and $900 in mixed bills.

The Kensington Elementary School posted Sunday on their Facebook page saying, “As many of you may have heard, one of our Mandarin teachers, Miss Guo has been hospitalized since Friday night with life-threatening injuries. As a show of love and support, we are encouraging all of our students and staff to wear purple this week, which is Miss Guo’s favorite color, and bring in sunflowers, her favorite flower.

“I mean the dads out in the line today, they were all in purple, teachers in purple, kids in purple. It’s just a great community and were just showing support,” said Hope Morris, whose daughter attends Kensington Elementary.

Please read more here.

Here’s a Go Fund Me link for the family.