The Heath High School shooting occurred at Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky, United States, on December 1, 1997. Fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal opened fire on a group of praying students, killing three and injuring five more. 

Michael Carneal was a 14-year old freshman at the time of the shooting. Carneal told reporters that he couldn't give a single explanation for his crimes, and that contributing factors included a mistaken belief that his parents didn't love him, taunting from classmates, and false claims he was gay. He also stated that he didn't know who he was aiming at until he read the names in the paper.