School Official Won’t Be Charged in Shooting of Burglary Suspect

A Harvard-Westlake School official who shot a teenage burglary suspect on the campus of the exclusive private school will not be charged in the incident, the district attorney’s office said Friday.

The decision ends the investigation of Frank Hedge, the school’s director of construction and planning, who had armed himself Oct. 19 after hearing of an early morning break-in at the campus.

Hedge, 54, who lives a short distance away in a school-owned house, shot and critically wounded the intruder during the ensuing confrontation.

Officials said Friday they have concluded that the shooting occurred during or immediately after the youth slammed a door on Hedge as he entered a computer classroom.

“There is insufficient evidence to show that the gun did not go off accidentally,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert L. Cohen.

Cohen said accounts of the incident by Hedge and the youth were strikingly similar except for the firing of the gun. Hedge, whose arm was injured as it was slammed by the door, told investigators he did not intend to fire the gun. The youth said he was shot after he slammed the door and turned to flee, Cohen said.

“We can’t prove that it was not an accidental discharge,” Cohen said.

Ralph Peretz, lawyer for the youth, declined to comment, saying he had not seen the evidence or Hedge’s statement to authorities.

Laboratory tests performed on the youth’s clothing indicate that the shot was fired 18 inches to 8 feet from the teenager, Cohen said, which would support either account. Cohen said a key factor in the decision was that only one shot, which struck the youth in the lower back, was fired. A volley of shots would have indicated an intentional shooting.

The incident occurred after a series of break-ins at the school after completion of a $13-million biology lab and other improvements.

Hedge’s attorney, Michael Magnesen, described prosecutors’ conclusions as “a good call.” He said the three-week investigation had been particularly hard on his client, who had never been involved in a shooting.

“Frank was very concerned for the well-being of the young man,” Magnesen said.

Thomas Hudnut, school headmaster, said the school is reviewing its security measures and has “clarified our procedures so that there would not be a repeat occurrence.”

The school has not disciplined Hedge.