Chardon High School Resumes Classes After Deadly Shootings
Classes resumed Friday at the Chardon, Ohio, high school that was the scene of a devastating shooting spree this week. Three students were killed and two others were left injured.
Students piled back into their classrooms following an emotional and distressing week as parents and police were on hand to show support and offer a semblance of security to the devastated teens.
One group of teens decided to march in line back into Chardon High School building. The students met at 9:30 a.m. about three-quarters of a mile away from the school and marched arm-in-arm back into the school building to show solidarity.
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"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.
Some of the parents on hand applauded students as they walked back into the school where the traumatic event occurred just days prior.
On Monday morning, Thomas "T.J." Lane entered the Chardon High School cafeteria and allegedly shot off 10 rounds from a .22-caliber pistol at random. Lane, who authorities say stole the gun from his uncle, was not a student at the high school. He attended the nearby Lake Academy Alternative School.
Three teens died in the shooting spree and two were injured, one of whom remains in serious condition. A motive for the shooting has not been disclosed.
Phyllis Ferguson has offered her forgiveness to Lane, for allegedly killing her son, 16-year-old Demetrius Hewlin.
"I would tell him I forgive him. Until you walked in that person's shoes we should not speak of him or mention him because, you don't know what made him come to this point," Ferguson told ABC News.
On Thursday, Lane, 17, was charged in juvenile court with three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault.
The prosecution has said, however, that it plans to try the 17-year-old as an adult, which could land him a life sentence behind bars if he is convicted. Ohio uses capital punishment, but because Lane is a minor, he is excluded from the death penalty.
Memorial services are also set to begin for the three victims of the massacre. On Friday, a visitation will be held for 16-year-old Daniel Parmertor. His funeral Mass will be held Saturday morning.
The other victims include: Russell King Jr., 17, whose funeral will be held March 8; Nick Walczak, 17, who remains hospitalized; and Joy Rickers, 18, who was released from the hospital just a day after the shootings. Hewlin will be buried March 6.
