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Surviving Cleveland Elementary School shooting victim returns to Stockton 30 years later

Sam Leam was in second grade, waiting on the playground to play tether ball when shots rang out at Cleveland Elementary School 30 years ago.

STOCKTON, Calif. — Editor's note: This article was originally written on January 17, 2019.

Sam Leam was in second grade, waiting on the playground to play tether ball when shots rang out at Cleveland Elementary School 30 years ago.

Leam remembers standing with his friend in the playground staring at the far area opposite them where the shooter was. Kids started running.

"We thought it was fireworks," Leam said.

Leam didn't realize it until later, he was shot in his arm and twice in his hip.

"The kids were falling on top of each other trying to get in to this small door and this teacher was pulling as many kids as he can in the room. And, I remember being frozen looking at all this," said Leam.

In the end, 24-year-old gunman Patrick Purdy killed five kids, ages 6 to 9. Thirty-two others were hurt. Purdy shot and killed himself at the school.

Former teachers Judy Weldon and Julie Schardt will never forget that day.

"I remember the trauma of having students killed and wounded on a playground at a school. And a school is supposed to be a safe place for children," said Schardt.

RELATED: Need to Know: The 1989 Cleveland School Shooting

"I recall seeing so many children on the front lawn waiting for triage. I recall having to identify Julie's student out on the yard," said Weldon.

Across the street from the school, ABC10 couldn't find anyone who was here when the shooting happened, but we did find one man who remembers it well.

Loretto Perez was in the Army and stationed in Germany when he heard about the shooting in his hometown.

"It was just bad news period," said Perez, who lives directly across the street from the school. "I wasn't sure what grade school my son went to. So, I just called home and found out he didn't go here."

On Thursday, five pink teddy bears representing the five children who were killed by gunfire rest in front of the Cleveland Elementary School sign.

Leam flew in from Chicago to be at the 30th Anniversary event at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium. He still suffers from PTSD and back pain he believes from getting shot and hopes by being here it will help provide some closure.

"I hope that my story and what I've gone through can really help other kids that are going through it now," Leam said.

Continue the conversation with Kurt on Facebook.

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WATCH MORE: Stockton elementary school teachers remember shooting anniversary 30 years ago

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