California teenager charged with murder

California teenager charged with murder
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANTEE (CALIFORNIA), MARCH 8: A Community reeling from the worst school shooting since the Columbine High School massacre nearly two years ago began the healing process with emotional meetings and the planning of two funerals.

``We took one of the major steps today in getting the kids back in school,'' said the Rev Phil Herrington, a church pastor and police chaplain, who counseled Santana High School students on Wednesday as they returned to class, two days after the deadly shootings.

On Saturday, Herrington is to conduct a funeral for one of two teenagers killed when a fellow student opened fire on Santana campus. Eleven other students, a student-teacher and a security-guard were wounded, in the attack. Charles Andrew Williams, whom authorities have described as ``angry at the world'', was charged with two counts of murder and is being held without bail pending a March 26 arraignment.

Herrington said some of the school's 1,900 students watched on television as the slight, 15-year-old sat quietly in court Wednesday, wearing an oversized jail jumpsuit. His arraignment was postponed after his lawyers said they were considering challenging a ballot initiative passed by voters last year that requires teenagers age 14 and older who are charged with murder or sexual assault be tried as adults. Williams' age prevents him from being sentenced to death if convicted.

Courtney Guthaus, a Santana cheerleader, attended Wednesday's hearing in hopes of gaining some understanding.

``I don't hate him for what he did, I just want to know why,'' she said. On Wednesday night, more than 1,000 parents jammed the high school's gymnasium for a meeting with school administrators. Principal Karen Degiescher told them she was devastated, adding that in her 14 years as a teacher and principal at Santana, the school had tried to do everything possible to prevent a tragedy like what occurred Monday. ``We were so prepared, but it still happened,'' she said.

One of the people wounded in the shooting, security-guard Peter Ruiz, received a standing ovation as he limped to the front of the gym to thank people for their support.

Ruiz (22) was hit when he ran into a bathroom where the shooting began on Monday morning. It was where Byran Zuckor (14) was killed with a gunshot to the head. Funeral plans for Zuckor have not been announced. A funeral for Randy Gordon (17), who was shot in the chest just outside the bathroom, was planned for Saturday.

Throughout the community, churches have been holding gatherings for students and parents, and a public memorial was planned for Friday evening at Sonrise Community Church, just down the street from the school.

``I think right now the kids are scared and confused,'' said the Rev John Wehrs Sr., rector at St. Columba's Episcopal Church.

He said clergy and counselors were preparing to help students deal with the kind of depression some survivors of Columbine faced after that rampage. At Santana High, authorities said Williams began shooting in the bathroom, then moved outside and fired randomly at anyone nearby. He stopped to reload his .22-caliber pistol at least four times, authorities said, and it was fully loaded when officers arrived and ordered him to put it down.

Elsewhere, schools have been on alert for threats since the shootings. Eight students were arrested at four California schools for alleged threats that included carrying weapons to school, making a hit list and plotting to put a bomb on a teacher's desk.