Thursday, August 19, 1999
Gun-toting student to be sentenced
Teen-ager wanted to scare a rival, attorney says
BY CHRISTINE WOLFF
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GEORGETOWN — The teen-ager who carried a sawed-off shotgun into Western Brown High School last April meant only to scare off a rival for his girlfriend, his defense attorney said.
No one was injured in the gun-toting incident, which occurred three days after the violence at Colorado's Columbine High School and was described Wednesday as “incredibly foolish,” for the boy who had not caused trouble before, said his attorney, Ed Harp.
The gun was never loaded while at the Mount Orab school — though the boy did have shells with him — nor was it removed from a duffel bag, Mr. Harp said.
The boy's sentencing hearing was continued Wednesday. Testimony aimed at influencing the sentencing will continue at 9 a.m. today at the Brown County Courthouse.
The Cincinnati Enquirer is not naming the boy because of his age; he turned 16 in May. He has been in juvenile custody in Warren County since the April 23 incident.
The boy threatened the other student because he had taken the defendant's girlfriend to Eastgate Mall, Mr. Harp said. The boy shortened the barrel of his father's shotgun and made several telephone calls to friends saying he would shoot the boy at school, Mr. Harp said.
“He decided the next morning he wouldn't shoot the victim, but would take the gun to school and scare the bejabbers out of him,” Mr. Harp said.
Judge Ronald Dvorachek, with Brown County Juvenile Court, will sentence the boy after studying the testimony. The boy could spend from six months more in juvenile custody to six years.
Judge Dvorachek found the boy guilty Tuesday of two felonies — bringing a firearm into a school and inducing panic. The judge cleared the boy of a third felony charge of attempted murder.
The Western Brown school board expelled the boy from school for one year, said Superintendent Michael Wells.
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