Gardena High School student charged with two felonies in school shooting
A 17-year-old Gardena High School student suspected of carrying a handgun that discharged on campus, striking one student and critically wounding another, was charged Thursday with two felonies: possessing a firearm in a school zone and discharging a firearm in a school zone.
The suspect, whose name is being withheld because of his age, was on probation for a misdemeanor battery charge, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Joanne Baeza. Prosecutors have filed a motion to have the minor tried as an adult.
On Tuesday, the teenager allegedly carried a loaded 9-millimeter Beretta in his backpack to school. He then reached inside the backpack to get something to eat, and the gun discharged a single round in a classroom about 10:40 a.m, authorities said.
The bullet struck a 15-year-old boy in the neck before hitting a 15-year-old girl in the side of the head, officials said.
The girl remained in critical condition at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center with a skull fracture and brain trauma. A spokeswoman for the hospital said she has been able to respond to basic commands.
The male victim was released from the hospital late Wednesday.
The suspect is due to appear in a Long Beach juvenile court Friday. A source familiar with the inquiry said the student reportedly stole the gun from his stepfather.
Two other students have been arrested in relation to the shooting. Authorities believe that in the chaos afterward the suspect gave his backpack to a girl and that another boy provided him with a sweatshirt to change his appearance.
One of those suspects also allegedly gave him money for bus fare to flee the area. Police said the backpack has not been located.
RELATED:
Gardena High shooting suspect stole gun from his stepfather
Student who brought gun to Gardena High School won't be charged with attempted murder
Classmates gave clothing, bus fare to student so he could elude police after Gardena shooting
-- Richard Winton
EDITOR'S PICKS:
I feel three counts should apply to the 17 year old who stole the handgun. Stealing is a crime and a question was the gun in a safe place and was it locked. Bringing the handgun alone to campus with 3,600 students is a intent to
murder, Everyone knows that the fact of just having a loaded gun on to a large campus means thinking about the idea of killing somebody. This was a bad person and he had bad friends . Don't go light on this person show the other bad persons YOU DONT bring handguns to school. School is for learning and developing your education. Everyone in Gardena and all around cities are frighten and do wish that justice takes its course. We all need to stop this now.
Posted by: Ray | January 20, 2011 at 02:05 PM
Would someone please tell us how a 17-year old got a pistol? If he got it from one of his parent's, they're in big trouble also due to Calif's gun "Safe Storage" law. Could be a felony charge to the parents.
Posted by: Dave | January 20, 2011 at 02:30 PM
Ah..."stole it" from his stepfather, so the stepfather is in big trouble for not adequately securing the gun...and can now be sued into oblivion for negligence by the victims.
Posted by: Dave | January 20, 2011 at 02:32 PM
what about the owner? they didn't keep it secure nor did they report it stolen.
Posted by: Sheila Lechner | January 20, 2011 at 02:43 PM
And some people think that because of this teachers need to carry guns. That's all we need. Some stupid kid brings a gun to school and the teacher is supposed to drop him like a stone. Aren't teachers supposed to care about thier students? The teachers sure would have moral conflict with that. And whose going to pay for the training?
Posted by: My view means nothing | January 20, 2011 at 02:48 PM
this is a real tradegy that this actually happened in a Gardena High school i've heard about drive by but actual shootind by a 17-year old student so tragic
Posted by: catera hammond | January 20, 2011 at 03:11 PM
Precisely, Ray!
Posted by: Mcgibby | January 20, 2011 at 03:12 PM
how slick are the two "friends" helping their good ole bud get away with attempted murder, talk about shrewed moves under pressure, they pulled it off just like a pro!
such loyalty! the parents ought to be really proud, who needs the boy-scouts or the brownies, just replace those organizations with Bloods or the Avenue Gangs and the "community" will be just great!
Posted by: Bewildered Bystander | January 20, 2011 at 03:16 PM
Let's see here, sandwich, pencil, history book, protractor, gun. Which one of these doesn't belong?!
Posted by: JT | January 20, 2011 at 03:31 PM
SO: It begins to appear that it was not an accident. He is a thug. He brought the bun because he intended to kill someone. That someone was in the classroom.
The truth will come out.
Posted by: Charles Grandison Finney | January 20, 2011 at 03:51 PM
At my old high school we had a gun club. Students regularly brought their own rifles to school. We also carried pocket knives and matches and all manner of "dangerous" contraband. What was different at my old school? Well for one thing everyone knew who their father was.
Posted by: Joe | January 20, 2011 at 04:20 PM
Obviously Ray, you've never been to Gardena High. You have no idea what this boy was afraid of. Carrying a gun doesn't mean an intent to kill.
Murderers don't generally apologize after accidentally shooting anyone.
These are appropriate charges for the crime. My hope is that the parents at this school use this as an opportunity to make the school safer - by getting involved and knowing what's going on with their children.
Posted by: LA Girl | January 20, 2011 at 04:22 PM
What sort of parental upbringing did this kid have?
Posted by: Matthew | January 20, 2011 at 04:23 PM
I can only imagine how the stepfather must feel about being implicated in this. But he was the one who left the 9mm Beretta lying around for his ne'er-to-well stepson to steal and take to school in his backpack. So they're both to blame for this fiasco, each in his own way. As for the kid's packback, it's probably been stashed somewhere. The police will eventually find it.
Posted by: yourstruly1 | January 20, 2011 at 04:36 PM
I agree with Ray. I'm from Long Beach and graduated from LHS a few years ago (now working on my BA). It is unfortunate that many of these cases seem repetitive. There needs to be a loud message to these kind of incidents, that we will not tolerate this type of behavior and justice, by the full letter of the law, will be applied. My prayers are with the families of this young girl.
Posted by: Enrique | January 20, 2011 at 05:04 PM
No surprise.
This school
Posted by: Stan | January 20, 2011 at 05:16 PM
Why am I not surprised that his accomplises are not being charged at all?
Posted by: Astonished | January 20, 2011 at 05:31 PM
I think when a white person shoots a black person it gets 100% more media coverage and they get charged with a hate crime, so why is this not the case when a black person shoots a white person
Posted by: Think | January 20, 2011 at 05:33 PM
Well, no, bringing a gun does not show intent to murder. (It could as easily reflect intent to self defense, or a number of other things.) But of course, he should not have brought it to school.
Posted by: AB | January 20, 2011 at 05:45 PM
they should not charge this juvenile as an adult. the crime does not fit.
Posted by: Scott | January 20, 2011 at 05:45 PM
i think carrying a gun to school is stupid..but in order to protect yourself it is mandatory if you live the life you live out here in these streets.
Posted by: lamigra | January 20, 2011 at 05:47 PM
I agree with you Ray but, the law is the law. You cannot prove he had intent to murder many people have guns is self defense the intent to murder? The possessing a firearm in a school zone is a felony and will stick and discharging a firearm in a school zone is a maybe because I'm not sure if the law depends on accidental discharge. He was definitely a bad kid, but a lot of bad kids are not born that way. He needs help, I sure am tired of tax dollars paying for the incarceration of all these people. He needs to be rehabilitated or put to death because a lot of people in the prison system become a worthless life.
Posted by: Kacharn Donnie | January 20, 2011 at 05:51 PM
Here we go again. A juvenile to possibly be tried as an adult. What he did was very very stupid, and very very dangerous. But he's a JUVENILE - and if the juvenile system can't handle crimes of this nature, then it's in serious need of an overhaul.
Oh, BTW: If, rather than commit this act, this kid had had sex with a teacher or other adult, why then the poor dear would be just a mere child and the adult would bear the brunt of the law.
Posted by: Charles J | January 20, 2011 at 06:06 PM
The stepdad should be in trouble this kid is a special education student ,there were signs that he was up to something he told an adult on campus how angry he was about being bullied and she shrugged it off like an idiot.
Posted by: Cas | January 20, 2011 at 06:35 PM
There is no law that prohibits gun ownership by a minor. It is quite possible that it was rightfully his gun. There are kids in gun clubs all across America who own their own pistols and rifles. It was irresponsible use that got this guy in trouble. Look at the charges.
Posted by: Rob | January 20, 2011 at 06:47 PM