Taft classroom shooting: Suspect pleads not guilty

A 16-year-old student accused in the shooting of another student at Taft Union High School, southwest of Bakersfield, pleaded not guilty Monday to attempted murder charges, Kern County prosecutors said.

Bryan Oliver is being charged as an adult, which is why his name and photograph have been released.

Oliver faces two counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault with a firearm in Thursday’s attack, which left one student in intensive care with wounds to his chest and abdomen.

The teen tried to shoot a second student, authorities said, but missed. A teacher persuaded him to stop shooting, authorities said.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 21 in Kern County Superior Court, said Jody Meadors, an administrative assistant.

The student who was wounded remains on life support, Paul Hensler, chief executive officer at Kern County Medical Center, said Monday.

"He’s doing very well, and I expect that in the next couple of days we’ll wean him off the medically induced coma and life support," Hensler said.

"The only remaining big problem would be an infection," he said, "but I don’t expect that to be an issue.”

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-- Adolfo Flores

Photo: Taft Union High School shooting suspect Bryan Oliver in court Monday. Credit: Felix Adamo / The Bakersfield Californian