SOUTHLAND : Armed Teen Holds Class Hostage in Anaheim, Wounds 1 Student
A 14-year-old boy armed with a shotgun and a handgun took an Anaheim high school drama class hostage today and wounded one student in the face before being talked into surrendering, police said.
The victim, a 15-year-old boy, was hospitalized in fair condition, said a spokeswoman at the UC Irvine Medical Center.
Fellow students identified the victim as Anthony Lopez and the arrested youth as “Cory.”
The ordeal at Loara High School began about 9:30 a.m. and lasted about 40 minutes. Police Chief Joseph Molloy said of the arrested youth, “We have had contact with him before in our department.”
Lt. Marc Hedgpeth said the shooting occurred quickly.
The youth, armed with a 12-gauge shotgun and a semiautomatic handgun, entered the class of 35 students and shot the victim within the first few minutes, then ordered the teacher out of the room, Hedgpeth said.
Ten minutes later the girls and the wounded boy were allowed to leave, but about 10 or 12 boys remained hostage. A police negotiator began talking to the boy, who eventually put down his weapons and walked out of the classroom.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
