Gov. Kasich orders flags be flown at half-staff
Associated Press
COLUMBUS
Flags at Ohio state buildings and grounds flew at half-staff Friday as one state that had seen its own school shooting this year sought to honor the lives of those lost at another school shooting in Connecticut.
Extra counselors were expected to be on hand Monday at Chardon High School in Geauga County, where three students were killed in a Feb. 27 shooting spree in the cafeteria.
Counselors have been available to Chardon students since the shooting. But the district will have additional counselors ready for students and staff, said Steven Kofol, assistant to the schools superintendent.
The murder trial for the 18-year-old charged in the Ohio rampage begins next month. The teenager, T.J. Lane, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted. Investigators say Lane admitted shooting at students but couldn’t say why; Lane has filed an insanity plea.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich ordered flags to be lowered through Tuesday.
The state’s top education official reminded school administrators that state law requires them to have safety plans for each of their buildings in case of emergencies. Also, Attorney General Mike DeWine urged schools to file their plans, noting that 145 schools have not submitted their documents.
“These plans are critical for first responders to respond to incidents at school facilities,” DeWine said in a written statement.