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Posted on 09/30/2002 1:28:05 PM PDT by ReadMyMind
Officials: Boy plotted to take class hostage
By STEVEN MAYER and STEVE E. SWENSON, Californian staff writers e-mail: smayer@bakersfield.com e-mail: sswenson@bakersfield.com
Friday September 27, 2002, 10:48:11 PM
A plot by a 12-year-old seventh-grade boy to take a class hostage at knifepoint, sexually assault a girl and then kill himself was foiled moments before he intended to carry it out, Kern County sheriff's officials said at a news conference Friday.
The potential tragedy at Sierra Middle School was avoided Thursday morning when another pupil saw the boy with a knife in his waistband and alerted the teacher, sheriff's Cmdr. Marty Williamson said.
"This thing was averted because of a student taking responsibility and coming forward," Williamson said.
After the boy was removed from the class, two other pupils came forward and said the boy had asked them Thursday morning to help with a hostage plot, Williamson said.
The target of the plot, a 12-year-old girl with whom the suspect was infatuated, was surprised and frightened, school Principal Al Capilla said.
The boy's backpack was loaded with handcuffs, condoms, an undisclosed sexual device, a bottle of Michelob beer, ham and crackers -- all intended to help him carry out the plot, Williamson said.
The boy told investigators his plan was to use the knife to hold the entire class hostage, then release everyone except the girl, sexually assault the girl and then kill himself, Williamson said.
The boy was described by Capilla as a loner who was infatuated with the girl. She ignored his attempts to become romantically involved, the principal said.
The pupil's report about the knife was conveyed to the teacher, who summoned a campus security guard.
The security guard entered the room, picked up the boy's backpack and asked him to accompany her out of the classroom, said Aaron Hunt, communications manager for the Bakersfield City School District.
After escorting the boy to an isolated room, the guard asked him to empty his pockets. That's when the knife was produced, Hunt said.
"He was somewhat remorseful," said Capilla, who added the boy did not resist or cause any trouble for the guard.
The boy was arrested by a sheriff's school deputy on charges of possession of a weapon and making terrorist threats, Williamson said. He was booked into Juvenile Hall.
A search warrant was executed at the boy's house, but nothing of consequence was found, Williamson said. A computer was seized from his room, but it didn't work, Sgt. Norm Simon said.
Thursday's arrest marks the second time in 31/2 years that a potentially heinous, high-profile crime was averted at the east Bakersfield school.
In April 1999 -- barely a week after the Columbine High School tragedy -- a 13-year-old Sierra pupil was caught on campus carrying a .40-caliber handgun and a hit list containing the names of 30 potential targets. The weapon was fully loaded.
In that case, classmates who saw the gun also alerted school administrators, who were able to confiscate the weapon without incident. The boy responsible for the 1999 incident was arrested and expelled from the school.
Thursday's incident had no effect on student attendance levels Friday, school district officials said. Nevertheless, parents at the school said they were frightened for their children.
I am concerned; I'm scared for her, actually," said Maria Morentin, the mother of Sierra sixth-grader Jennifer Alvarado.
Morentin attended the school as a youth, but she said she worries the school has changed for the worse.
As Leonard Madrid waited for his 11-year-old daughter out in front of the school Friday afternoon, he, too, said he is concerned for his daughter's safety. Madrid said he was amazed that a 12-year-old boy could even conceive of a plan to commandeer a classroom and sexually assault a classmate at knifepoint.
"The things he had with him -- how can that be?" Madrid said. "For a kid that young to be thinking those kinds of things ... what's going on in his home?"
BCSD's Hunt said the situation at the school Friday was as good as it could be "in these circumstances." And he praised the pupils who made sure the presence of the knife was brought to the attention of adults at the school.
"We need to focus on the wonderful students," he said. "They deserve to be applauded."
Sheriff Carl Sparks and Capilla also praised the pupils for coming forward with information.
Sparks added that the boy has committed a prior act of violence, but he could not disclose what it was, or when and where the act occurred. The sheriff said Sierra Middle School officials didn't know about the case and said laws need to be changed so that schools can learn of such prior problems.
Probably watching a lot of TV without the supervision of a responsible adult.
I find it interesting that he bothered to include a condom in his hostage/rape/suicide/beer and crackers kit.
What did he need condoms for?
Yes, why bother with a condom?
OK...I get everything but the ham and crackers. ;)
I've got PETA on line 5. They want to know where he got the ham.
My thoughts too.
Come to think of it, that beer had to have been hot. That little b@st@rd must really be sick.
A President, or a mere Senator?
I think that if I have a daughter, and some boy is romantically interested in her, I would tell her to tell the boy that he needs to go see her dad first.
I would then proceed to make it conditional to 'dating' my daughter that he would have to do various odd jobs for me. I'm sure that someone would have to be willing to go diving in the sewer tank to show their love for my daughter. ;)
Wouldn't it be swell if such a possibility was unthinkable? Impossible, or at least extremely unlikely?
True. Sad, but true. The crackers and ham bit indicates he thought it would take some time...
The only saving thing about this entire scene is the fact we are reading about it being intercepted.
That's one sick puppy.
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