Ohio school shooting: Suspect charged with six felony counts

The teenager being held in connection with Monday’s shootings at a suburban Ohio high school was formally charged Thursday with six felony counts -- including three of aggravated murder, one for each of the students who died.

T.J. Lane, 17, was also charged with two counts of attempted aggravated murder, one for each of the students wounded in Monday’s attack at Chardon High School, about 30 miles east of Cleveland. Lane also faces one count of felonious assault.

The charges, which had been expected, were filed Thursday with the Geauga County juvenile court. Judge Timothy J. Grendel had set Thursday as the deadline for the prosecution to formally bring charges in the case. The judge also set hearings for later in the month for Lane to enter his pleas and for a probable cause hearing.

Lane has been in custody since Monday morning, an hour after the shooting in the high school cafeteria and halls. He surrendered to authorities about half a mile from the school; he had been chased from the school by a teacher, Coach Frank Hall.

The formal charges were announced by Geauga County prosecutor David Joyce, who earlier this week described Lane as “someone who is not well.”

The prosecution said Lane fired 10 shots from a .22-cal. handgun in the attack. Joyce said the shots were fired at random, seeming to contradict some media reports that the shooting was a response to bullying.

The maximum sentence Lane faces, if convicted, is life with parole because of his age.

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michael.muskal@latimes.com