Ohio School Shooting Suspect Charged as Students March in Solidarity
Thomas "T.J." Lane, the 17-year-old youth who allegedly went on a shooting rampage at a Chardon, Oh. high school, has been charged with three juvenile counts of aggravated murder on Thursday.
The teen, who claims that he had been a victim of bullying, was also charged with two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious attempt.
On Monday morning Lane entered the Chardon High School cafeteria, which was filled with around 100 students, and shot off 10 rounds from a .22-caliber pistol at random. Lane was not a student at the high school, but rather attended the Lake Academy Alternative School nearby. He had stolen the handgun from his uncle.
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Three teens died in the shooting spree, including 17-year-old Russell King Jr., 16-year-old Demetrius Hewlin, and 16-year-old Daniel Parmertor. Nick Walczak, 17, remains under hospital care, and a fifth victim, 18-year-old Joy Rickers, was released from the hospital on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old will remain in detention during proceedings "due to the serious nature of the allegations and charges," Judge Timothy Grendell told the court on Wednesday.
The prosecution has said that it plans to try Lane as an adult, which could land him a life sentence behind bars.
As the charges were filed against Lane on Thursday, hundreds of students gathered to sing their alma mater at a courthouse and marched arm in arm to their school.
Classes are set to resume at the high school on Friday and students have planned to meet at 9:30 a.m. about three-quarters of a mile away from the school and march back into their high school together in solidarity.
"It's going to be hard to go back in. But we're going to go in together and support each other," junior Nick Giorgi told Cleveland.com.
Giorgi is one the organizers of the walk that grew out of an online movement. At least a quarter of students intend on participating in Friday's walk.
Memorial services are also set to begin for the three victims of the massacre.
SEE VIDEO OF THE OHIO SHOOTER'S ARREST
