2008 Woodie Awards
Students return to S.C. school after plot allegation
Associated Press
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: News
CHESTERFIELD, S.C. (AP) - Students arriving Monday at a small South Carolina high school faced newly installed metal detectors and extra security because a student was arrested in what authorities said was a plan to carry out a Columbine-inspired attack.
Bomb-sniffing dogs checked the hallways and classrooms at Chesterfield High School, authorities said. Metal detectors were borrowed from a courthouse, and police met students at the doors.
The father of one 16-year-old sophomore said the police work over the weekend gave him confidence his son was safe. "I think they're pretty much on top of it. They've had plenty of time to find anything," said parent Michael Wattson.
The alleged plotter, Ryan Schallenberger, 18, was assigned a lawyer during a brief court hearing Monday. The teen was silent but appeared agitated, his eyes widening at the sight of cameras awaiting him when he entered in an orange jumpsuit, hands cuffed and ankles shackled.
Schallenberger was arrested Saturday after his parents called police because the teen had ordered 10 pounds of ammonium nitrate, which they'd retrieved after getting a delivery notice from the postal service, authorities said Monday. Police also said they discovered a disturbing journal.
Chesterfield County prosecutor Jay Hodge said he will ask that Schallenberger undergo a mental evaluation when the teen appears in court Tuesday for a bail hearing.
"We've had bomb threats at other schools before and we always have to take each threat seriously and I'm essentially concerned in this situation because of the documentation that the young man had and his apparent ability to actually carry out the conduct," Hodge said.
Police Chief Randall Lear said Schallenberger "seemed to hate the world. He hated people different from him - the rich boys with good-looking girlfriends."
Schallenberger was one of the top students at the high school of about 544 students and had not caused any serious problems before his arrest, principal Scott Radkin said.
The school's Web site lists Schallenberger as a member of the 2007 academic bowl squad. He won an academic award from Newberry College in the last school year.
The teen was in the Chesterfield County jail Sunday night, charged with possessing materials to make bombs, the police chief said. Other than the bomb-making material, no other weapons were found at his home, Lear said.
Schallenberger kept a journal for more than a year that detailed his plans for a suicide attack and included maps of the school, police said. The writings did not include a specific time for the attack or the intended targets.
Bomb-sniffing dogs checked the hallways and classrooms at Chesterfield High School, authorities said. Metal detectors were borrowed from a courthouse, and police met students at the doors.
The father of one 16-year-old sophomore said the police work over the weekend gave him confidence his son was safe. "I think they're pretty much on top of it. They've had plenty of time to find anything," said parent Michael Wattson.
The alleged plotter, Ryan Schallenberger, 18, was assigned a lawyer during a brief court hearing Monday. The teen was silent but appeared agitated, his eyes widening at the sight of cameras awaiting him when he entered in an orange jumpsuit, hands cuffed and ankles shackled.
Schallenberger was arrested Saturday after his parents called police because the teen had ordered 10 pounds of ammonium nitrate, which they'd retrieved after getting a delivery notice from the postal service, authorities said Monday. Police also said they discovered a disturbing journal.
Chesterfield County prosecutor Jay Hodge said he will ask that Schallenberger undergo a mental evaluation when the teen appears in court Tuesday for a bail hearing.
"We've had bomb threats at other schools before and we always have to take each threat seriously and I'm essentially concerned in this situation because of the documentation that the young man had and his apparent ability to actually carry out the conduct," Hodge said.
Police Chief Randall Lear said Schallenberger "seemed to hate the world. He hated people different from him - the rich boys with good-looking girlfriends."
Schallenberger was one of the top students at the high school of about 544 students and had not caused any serious problems before his arrest, principal Scott Radkin said.
The school's Web site lists Schallenberger as a member of the 2007 academic bowl squad. He won an academic award from Newberry College in the last school year.
The teen was in the Chesterfield County jail Sunday night, charged with possessing materials to make bombs, the police chief said. Other than the bomb-making material, no other weapons were found at his home, Lear said.
Schallenberger kept a journal for more than a year that detailed his plans for a suicide attack and included maps of the school, police said. The writings did not include a specific time for the attack or the intended targets.
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