Student Charged with Attempted Homicide

[normanvin]

I know the story does not have a lot of specifics, but there should be enough to discuss. Apparently the student told another student that he was going to bring a gun to school.

Comments?

http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=9552313
Student Charged with Attempted Homicide

Posted: Dec 19, 2008 12:12 AM

Last Updated: Dec 19, 2008 12:12 AM

Fears that a student planned to bring a gun to Blue Mountain High School and shoot other students led to the arrest of a 17-year-old boy on Thursday, according to state police in Schuylkill County.

Troopers say the boy from the Schuylkill Haven area faces charges including attempted homicide and terroristic threats. He was arrested in Pottsville around 11:00 Thursday morning. In the afternoon, authorities searched the boy's home. They report finding several weapons, realistic-looking explosive devices, military and paramilitary clothing and accessories, and documents and photos.

The boy is currently locked up in the Schuylkill County Prison on $100,000 bail. Authorities will talk more about the case at a news conference on Friday afternoon.

Troopers say they were alerted to the alleged threat on Thursday morning after several students provided information to staff members at Blue Mountain High School.

[cgbudde]

saw this story on yhe news this morning, what are they teaching these kids today. I want to know where he got all those guns. Also glad the judge gave him a high bail. hope he stays there for a long time.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

And I have kids ages 3, 5, 7, 9.


I cannot believe that along with the talks about smoking, drinking, drugs, and sex....I'll also have to talk about 'at school crisis' scenarios. Get out through windows, hide under coats in a supply closet. Kick hard at the nuts or throw books or gang tackle etc if you get cornered.

[markheck1]

If they search my house they will find all of that in my kids room

several weapons.......he's got a few knives scattered around, notice it didn't say several guns

realistic looking explosive devise......dummy grenade...

Military clothing...he has a WW II helmet, and some camo field pants, and a bit of my stuff from when I was in the Air Force.

when this stuff happens all of this gets blown out of proportion. They wouldn't have listed all of his baseball memorabilia if he was planning a baseball bat attack....

What are they teaching kids these days? they're not....and by they I mean the parents....they are expecting the schools to raise their kids, and not take responsibility for them...

[adymond]

If they search my house they will find all of that in my kids room

several weapons.......he's got a few knives scattered around, notice it didn't say several guns

realistic looking explosive devise......dummy grenade...

Military clothing...he has a WW II helmet, and some camo field pants, and a bit of my stuff from when I was in the Air Force.

when this stuff happens all of this gets blown out of proportion. They wouldn't have listed all of his baseball memorabilia if he was planning a baseball bat attack....

What are they teaching kids these days? they're not....and by they I mean the parents....they are expecting the schools to raise their kids, and not take responsibility for them...

FTW!

My son is only 9 months, but he will have all of the things I had growing up. Like your son I had knives, military helmets (not the replicas, but the honest to God real deal), BDUs, combat boots, and when I was about 11 I had a .22 in my room hanging on a gun rack in my room.

We used to play cowboys and indians and used "real" toy guns (actualy plastic guns that looked like a gun not just sticks that are shaped like a gun that would get a kid expelled today). I am just sick and tired of this sort of thing though. Some kid is picked on and they think it is acceptable to bring weapons (of any sort) to school and hurt other kids. Bullying is not new. I used to carry a pocket knife to school, but when I was bullied it was never a thought that I would pull it out. You fought back with bookbags, lunch trays, whatever, but you didn't bring something to school with the intent of causing severe bodily harm.

[Philadelphia]

I know the story does not have a lot of specifics, but there should be enough to discuss. Apparently the student told another student that he was going to bring a gun to school.

Comments?

http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=9552313
Student Charged with Attempted Homicide

Posted: Dec 19, 2008 12:12 AM

Last Updated: Dec 19, 2008 12:12 AM

Fears that a student planned to bring a gun to Blue Mountain High School and shoot other students led to the arrest of a 17-year-old boy on Thursday, according to state police in Schuylkill County.

Troopers say the boy from the Schuylkill Haven area faces charges including attempted homicide and terroristic threats. He was arrested in Pottsville around 11:00 Thursday morning. In the afternoon, authorities searched the boy's home. They report finding several weapons, realistic-looking explosive devices, military and paramilitary clothing and accessories, and documents and photos.

The boy is currently locked up in the Schuylkill County Prison on $100,000 bail. Authorities will talk more about the case at a news conference on Friday afternoon.

Troopers say they were alerted to the alleged threat on Thursday morning after several students provided information to staff members at Blue Mountain High School.

In a case like this (we got nothin' in the way of facts from the report but some notion of what might have happened), there's often a fine line between crime prevention and "The Crucible" type of prosecutions.

In terms of what they allegedly found in the "boy's home" (it was his home or his parents' home?), I see nothing illegal. Wait! They found "documents!" They found "photos!" Yeah, of what. Does it really need to be even noted that every home in this country contains documents and photos. Useless news report and my take is there is no meat on these bones so the reporter deliberately left it vague and nebulous to try to make the slant create a story. Hold on, they found weapons!!! In the "boy's home!!!" Unless this kid has a trust fund, it's not his home. They found weapons in his parents' home. That's not illegal as we all know.

In terms of the reports from fellow students, my guess is either there is the typical zero tolerance panic interpretation of non-criminal behavior, or the kid actually did communicate a concrete plan to commit crimes which was foiled.

Based on the way this was reported, my guess is what happend is closer to the panic over innocuous facts, but who knows. It's a crazy world.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Based on the way this was reported, my guess is what happened is closer to the panic over innocuous facts, but who knows. It's a crazy world.

I agree 100%. I've got knives and guns that I keep loaded (locked though). and yadda yadda.


But the reality is that 50 years ago.....the possibility of a school shooting/massacre was UNHEARD of. Impossible.


30 years ago - you may have heard a story where a teenage school kid offed him/her self with a handgun......but RARE.

Now? It's a real possibility.
Sad thing is that it's GUNS that get the bad rep. We have an ignorant society.

[jpavoncello]

"Sad thing is that it's GUNS that get the bad rep. We have an ignorant society."

We have ignorant parents is what we have. We are all responsible for what the young of America have become because we allowed our schools to stop corporal punishment, made school yard fights a crime, allowed teachers to train our kids that physical discipline is child abuse, allow our kids to play video games like Grand Theft Auto that teaches them nothing but disrespect and that violence is ok. It's time we take our children back from the system and be responsible parents.

[jcabin]

FTW!

My son is only 9 months, but he will have all of the things I had growing up. Like your son I had knives, military helmets (not the replicas, but the honest to God real deal), BDUs, combat boots, and when I was about 11 I had a .22 in my room hanging on a gun rack in my room.

Bullying is not new. I used to carry a pocket knife to school, but when I was bullied it was never a thought that I would pull it out. You fought back with bookbags, lunch trays, whatever, but you didn't bring something to school with the intent of causing severe bodily harm.

For the record, my children will have all these things as well, as I did.

It seems most of you folks here are quite a bit older than I am in age. Let me explain one of the reasons why some children are pushed to such an extreme act. By the time I graduated HS, for a simple scuffle, children were being charged criminally. Regardless of self defense, children would face punishment from the school, even if not found delinquent by the courts. Bullying has been around and its the classic popular kids picking on the shmucks who wont speak out, and when they do, the teachers/admins don't believe their prized QB's or cheerleaders are doing these things. The fact that when a kid is getting bullied and can't even swing down on the pricks who are torturing him because of these liberal policies, is what pushes some kids to the edge.

Read up on columbine and all that, these kids pleaded with teachers and counselors, but the "QB Type" student was never found to be in the wrong. Because theyre clever and work in numbers, and numbers win in the -he said she said- department. These poor kids are so frustrated. Usually this paired with a terrible home life, which all of these child-executioners have been found to have, would leave some of these poor kids with no other imaginable option. It's the only way they can get even, by an extreme measure. Because keeping quiet or doing it the right way just got them beat down or feeling more worthless.

I've done some papers on this for various college courses.

[adymond]

I'm not much older than you, but I think you are right to some extent about the way bullies are handled and the home life, but I refuse to make excuses for anyone. We all have our struggles. It is not for any of us to judge the hardships of others, but we can judge their reactions to those difficulties. If my son has to defend himself from a bully he will be taught to do so with extreme prejudice and to know that he will have the full backing of his mother and I.