Chardon shooter chose victims randomly
CHARDON, Ohio (AP) -- The teenager arrested in an Ohio school shooting that killed three students didn't know his victims and chose them randomly, a prosecutor said Tuesday as the young man appeared in juvenile court.
T.J. Lane, 17, admitted taking a .22-caliber pistol to Chardon High School along with a knife and firing 10 shots at a group of students sitting at a cafeteria table Monday morning, Prosecutor David Joyce said.
The hearing came hours after the death toll rose to three, and as schoolmates and townspeople grappled with the tragedy and wondered what could have set the gunman off - a mystery the court appearance did nothing to solve.
"He did not know the students but chose them randomly," Joyce said.
Lane's face twitched lightly while the prosecutor recounted the attack, and the slim young man sniffled and half-closed his eyes as he walked out of the room with sheriff's deputies.
Lane's grandfather, who has custody of the teenager, and two aunts joined him in court; the women reached over and lightly embraced the grandfather as the hearing began.
Judge Timothy Grendell ordered the boy, who is considered a juvenile, held for at least 15 days. Prosecutors have until March 1 to charge him.
The judge imposed a gag order on opposing attorneys at the prosecutor's request and told the media not to photograph the boy's face in court.