Charges were filed yesterday against T.J. Lane, the 17-year-old alleged gunman in Ohio’s Chardon High School shooting.
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The Geauga County Prosecutor has filed charges against Lane: 3 counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder, 1 count of felonious assault. The charges were filed at 3:40 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
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Lane admitted taking a .22-calibre pistol and a knife from his grandfather’s house to school and firing 10 shots at students sitting in the cafeteria, killing Demetrius Hewlin, 16, Russell King Jr., 17, and Daniel Parmertor, 16, while two other students, Joy Rickers and Nick Walczak, were wounded.
Ricker was released from the hospital and so was Walczak, who was shot in the cheek and neck and is now paralyzed.
His mother, Holly Walczak, told ABC Newsthat the 16-year-old is paralyzed and has bullets lodged in his cheek and neck.
“He’s just getting feeling back in his legs. It’s going to be a really slow process, they said. He’s going to need spine therapy. The surgeon said they’re cautiously optimistic.”
Doctors are hopeful that Mr. Walczak will walk again.
Students and parents gathered this morning outside a memorial to remember the victims of the Chardon High shootings before returning to school for the first time since the horrific event.
As for Lane, the charges filed yesterday are juvenile charges. A hearing will be held later this month to determine if he will be tried as an adult.
The juvenile counts of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder would mean only a few years in detention if Lane is convicted.
But Prosecutor Joyce has already said he plans to try the boy as an adult. That could mean life in prison if he is found guilty.
Lane is being held in a juvenile detention facility.
