LA officer to be fired over school shooting hoax

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A school police officer will be fired for an alleged shooting hoax that touched off one of the largest local manhunts in recent memory and forced thousands of students to remain in their classrooms for hours, the head of the Los Angeles Unified School District announced today.

Superintendent Ramon Cortines said he has directed the school police chief and the district's lawyer to immediately relieve Jeff Stenroos of duty and begin the process of dismissing him.

"I would like to apologize to the public for the hoax that was perpetrated by a rogue officer," Cortines said in a statement.

"Thousands of people were inconvenienced by the actions of this one man," Cortines said. "I want to again apologize to everyone who was alarmed, who worked long hours and who were adversely affected by his actions."

Cortines said the alleged actions of the eight-year veteran do not reflect the integrity of all school police.