Boy, 14, Trades School Hostages for Snacks, Then Surrenders

A 14-year-old boy briefly held some of his classmates hostage at a school for troubled youngsters Thursday, police said, then surrendered after trading his guns for snacks and cigarettes.

After initially holding about a dozen students inside the Alternate School, the boy permitted them to leave, police said, addings that four students remained with him voluntarily until he gave up nearly five hours later.

“The release of hostages was never an issue of the negotiations. They wanted food, alcohol and tobacco,” police Lt. Garry Pritchett said.

“They ate all the pizza, they drank all the pop and they trashed the whole building,” Capt. Mike Stayner said.

About 15 to 20 students and staff members were meeting about 8:30 a.m. when the 14-year-old pulled a gun, police said.

“He was loading his gun while the principal talked, and when he cocked it, the teachers looked over and then he pulled it out,” student Jesse Hernandez told the Idaho State Journal. “He said a bunch of swear words and put the gun in my face.”

All the staff members and about half the students escaped.

“I saw him pull the gun, and I picked up a table and threw it. I tried to get as many kids out as possible,” Principal Paul Matthews said.

Matthews said the eighth-grader had threatened to kill him Wednesday.

Police said the boy fired one round into the ceiling.

The teenager was held pending a psychological evaluation. Capt. Kirk Nelson said some of the other students may also face criminal charges.