Sounds like a fourth student was released the other day, while the fifth remains in the hospital.
I watched the initial hearing. They hadn't as of then put him in as an adult, so his grandfather was informed of his right to legal representation and the shooter ordered to be held 15 more days. Hopefully they change him over to adult status (he is 17, will be 18 in September) before then because I can't imagine them letting him out of custody.
I'm really shocked by the number of people who are blaming the adults in his life for this. That happens all the time. Nobody seems to understand that adults cannot control everything and that kids can and do make their own choices. I've seen some great parents with some really messed up, rebellious kids or ones with mental health issues, parents who do everything in their power to seek help but consistently get told that "this is normal teen behavior" or that the parents should just hug them more or something.
I have a a child in my care whose mental issues are pretty scary. Over and over again, I hear that "oh, he's just a baby" (he's 12) and my concern for his safety and that of others as he gets older is pretty much being ignored and the behavior passed off as his way of expressing sorrow over his mother's death and some of what he went through prior to being here. One can only do so much. He has therapy every week, it was a major fight to get him put into a mental hospital for initial evaluation and treatment, a fight to get him into RTC, a fight to find a therapist who actually SEES the issues and understands the concerns. We gave up with the school because since he has no grades and hasn't shown any violent behaviors there, they tell us it must be a problem at home. Everyone there insists he's very polite and helpful. Yet at home, we sleep with a security system and keep weapons in a military issued lock box because of threats he has made. We search every morning before school and after to make sure nothing is on his person that can be used as a weapon.
I've taken steps to defend myself should anything happen and they try to say we ignored signs or that we didn't try, documenting everything, asking the therapist to document, and am in the process of writing out my concerns in a sealed envelope and getting it postmarked with the date, outlining the behaviors, all that's been done to help, my fears, and those who have ignored my concerns.
In so many of these cases there ARE signs. There are major signs. Unfortunately, those closest who try to do anything usually cannot get people to listen. Nobody wants to believe a child is capable and at best, concerns of those who try to help are blown off or in our case, actually try to pass on what they think is helpful information, such as giving him more freedom and not "embarrassing him or invading his privacy" with the safety measures we've put in place.
Not gonna happen...I have and will continue to do what I feel it takes to help him and to keep others safe.
Always...ALWAYS honor the threat. If you're one of those people who judge a parent by their children's behavior or judge a parent for being "too strict," stop and get the whole story first. I'm so tired of people who think it is their business to judge, but refuse to stop and ask us why and on the rare occasions where we feel the need to disclose why to anyone, they say "oh he's so sweet, he'd can't possibly have those problems." Or better yet, the ones who say he doesn't even need therapy, that mental illness isn't real. Those ones are usually the Christians. Which makes it worse because we need support, not to be told that mental illness isn't real and to put him and others in danger by pretending it isn't.
Rant over! Maybe.
