Child-Slashing Suspect Arraigned

A man charged with slashing the throats of four children at their elementary school screamed, “Kill the young children! Kill yourself!” after a court appearance Tuesday.

Jason Pritchard, 33, had refused to answer questions during his arraignment on four counts each of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault. All four children survived.

“Are you Mr. Pritchard? Well, I’m told that you are,” District Judge Natalie Finn said. “Do you understand what I’m saying? Do you hear me?”

Pritchard, who was not represented by a lawyer, did not respond. But as the hearing ended and Pritchard was led from the court, police had to restrain him as he yelled:

“Kill the young children! Kill yourself! Kill the young children first, then kill yourself!”

Pritchard is charged with stabbing the children Monday as they were waiting at Mountain View Elementary School for the school’s breakfast program to begin. He dropped the knife and was arrested after police shot him three times with beanbag projectiles, authorities said.

Police searched the area around Pritchard’s car and found a handwritten note entitled, “Remember Columbine,” prosecutors said.

“Also you must have the faith that killing little children is their only hope and don’t you be afraid of wicked people killing you and sending you to meet God & Jesus,” the note said, according to authorities.

Cody Brown, 7, was in serious condition and Stephan Hansell, 8, was in fair condition after receiving 34 stitches. Eric Moy, 9, and Billy Moy, 8, were released from the hospital Tuesday.

“I get the impression it was for shock value. It seems he’s doing this crazy act,” said Keith Leonard, grandfather of the Moy brothers, after Pritchard’s outburst Tuesday.

The children’s grandmother, Wilma Leonard, said Pritchard needs psychiatric treatment.

“He’s got some severe problems. He needs help,” she said.

Pritchard was being held on $2-million cash bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Thursday.

Authorities say that when police arrived at the school, teacher Jeff Harriman was standing between Pritchard and Hansell, who was lying on the floor bleeding. Harriman was using a student desk to keep Pritchard away from the boy.

An officer helped the teacher and the boy flee the room. As the officers kept Pritchard at gunpoint, he was talking about sending “his little brothers and sisters to Jehovah,” according to the court documents.

Pritchard, who was born in Eugene, Ore., apparently was living in his car at the time of Monday’s attacks. He had been arrested 13 times since 1994 on charges that include assault, stalking, criminal trespassing and driving while intoxicated, police said. He used the Southcentral Counseling Center in Anchorage as a mailing address.