Charges filed in Hastings Middle School gun incident

[RobD]

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article ... 3&catid=14

HASTINGS, Minn. -- A 14-year-old boy from Hastings has been charged with 5 felonies in connection with the lockdown at Hastings Middle School Monday.

The boy has been charged with three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, one count of Terroristic Threats and one count of Criminal Damage to Property (all felonies). Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom says his office has filed a motion to certify this youth to stand trial as an adult or in the alternative, to have him prosecuted under the extended juvenile jurisdiction (EJJ) statute.

The criminal complaint states that on Monday, April 5, 2010, the suspect took the bus to school with a .22 caliber handgun in his backpack. The teen youth did not attend any of his first three class hours that morning, and investigators don't know where he was for this period of time.

"The bullets were .22 caliber bullets, but they were longer bullets, typically used in a rifle," Dakota County Chief Deputy Phillip Prokopowicz said. "So the bullets weren't designed for his gun."

At approximately 10:30 a.m., police say he entered his fourth hour science class with the gun in his hand and told everyone to get on the ground. At that time he was not pointing the weapon at anyone in particular. The teacher talked him into leaving the classroom, which he did. Some immediately called 911 and school lockdown procedures were implemented.

The suspect then wandered through the hallways knocking on several classroom doors and adjacent windows, breaking several of the windows in the process. At one point he was able to gain entry into several other classrooms. While inside one of these classrooms, he pointed the gun around the room while the students and teacher were on the floor in the back of the room hiding behind several tables. The suspect threw a computer and chair on the floor and left the room without saying anything.

While wandering the hallways between 10:30 and 10:40 a.m. that morning, the suspect came into contact with two adult staff members and one school administrator. The suspect pointed the gun at all three of these individuals mouthing, "bang, bang, bang" while pointing the gun at one of these adults. One of the adults told police he heard a click and thought that the suspect was attempting to fire the weapon.

At approximately 10:40 a.m. the suspect, left the building through a back door where he was immediately confronted by officers from the Hastings police department and Dakota County Sheriff's Office. He threw the gun to the ground as he was exiting the building and was ordered to get on the ground, which he did.

The suspect was taken into custody and transported to Regina Medical Center for treatment of cuts to his hand. He was later transported to the Hastings police department where a statement was taken from him.

The teen told police that he wanted to scare several students who had not been treating him well. He also told police that at some point that morning he had attempted to fire the handgun in a school bathroom but was unable to do so. He told police that he had taken the handgun from his home, which had been in a locked cabinet, for which he found the key.

Police eventually recovered three bullets. One was found in the cylinder of the .22 caliber revolver. One was found in a school bathroom and one was found in a school hallway. These were determined to be .22 caliber long bullets, which did not fit properly into the .22 caliber revolver which fired .22 caliber short shells.

The incident stemmed from apparent bullying while attending Hastings Middle School.

"He did make a claim that he had some issues with a few kids from school," Prokopowicz said. "That's the reason he brought the gun to school, to scare the kids."

Following questioning, the suspect was transported to the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center where he remains. He made his first appearance in court Wednesday morning.

(Copyright 2010 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)

[justaguy]

This is what happens when bullies are left to bully.