Teen Charged as Adult in Pipe Bombing

17-year-old Alex Youshock stands accused of detonating two pipe bombs at Hillsdale High school while armed with eight more pipe bombs, a sword and a chainsaw. No one was injured. He'll faces eight felony counts and could face a lifetime sentence if convicted. Youshock entered no plea and will be appointed a public defender.

His targets, according to the criminal complaint, were chemistry teacher Meghan Spalding and campus security aide Jana Torres. Youshock who turns 18 in April, is being held on no bail in juvenile hall.

KCBS' Margie Shafer reports

"We have every reason to believe he is certainly sane and certainly competent," said Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti.

Youshock appeared behind glass and was soft spoken as he answered the judge, his father, mother and sister observing from the front row. A recess was briefly called after Youshock said he had not read his constitutional rights.

Tammy Pereira, a parent of two Hillsdale High School students, who does not know Youshock, attended the arraignment.

"I felt sorry for him I have to admit, and I think he's in for a lot," Pereira said.

Youshock was shacked at the waist and was handcuffed around a heavily bandaged right arm which he presumably injured when a teacher tackled him Monday. He will appear in court again next week.

Back to School

Meanwhile students at Hillsdale High returned to school Wednesday for the first time since Monday's pipe bomb attack, and the campus may have looked normal, but the feeling was far from it.
  KCBS’ Holly Quan Reports

Hillsdale Principal Jeff Gilbert started off the day with a mass assembly to reassure the kids that school is still a safe haven. Police were there as well as therapists.

"They'll be available all day, and all week, for people that need it," said Gilbert. "That includes parents, younger siblings, the students themselves and staff. We'll also have police presence, and we're really going to work with the police department to make sure it's the appropriate level of surveillance."

That means not too many officers so as to freak kids out, but senior Moria Carpalina says they're already jittery.

"Everyone always thinks it can't happen to you, until it does," said Carpalina. "This whole situation seems really surreal, and everyone that I know was walking around in almost a dream state yesterday, because it didn't feel real that this happened at our school."

Senior Meghan Lloyd knew 17-year-old suspect and says this has her re-thinking how she treats people.

"You're looking at your classmates and you're thinking, 'okay who's going to be next to jump off the deep end?'" said Lloyd. "You just don't know. And I'm not one of those people who looks at someone who has, say, all black on and their hood up, and they're not talking to anybody, as any different from us. I usually think they're just misunderstood, but maybe they're not like everybody else."


School Uniquely Prepared to Deal with Attack

Gilbert says the school is used to attention in a good way, and they are uniquely suited to help students cope.

”We’re a school that has gotten a lot of notoriety, and we have visitors from all over the country coming by to look at our model, which is based on getting to know students really well,” said Gilbert.

Hillsdale has created in its 1,070 member student body small communities. When a class of 300 freshmen comes in they’re divided into three groups with four teachers who see them through two years.

  KCBS’ Janice Wright Reports

Those teachers, that is their assignment, to teach those 100 students,” said Gilbert. “They counsel them, they advise them.”

So those 100 students each have those teachers waiting for them Wednesday. The teachers are familiar with the kids, and their families, and can hopefully make the students feel safe again.

Teacher Hailed a Hero

English language development teacher Kennet Santana said he didn't have time to think about what he should do; he just acted on instinct.

Santana was already outside when he saw the 17-year-old suspect exit the building during Monday's bomb explosion at Hillsdale High School.

He recognized the tactical jacket as a warning sign that this was not just a student fleeing from danger.

KCBS' Janice Wright Reports

Without hesitation, Santana grabbed the youth in a bear hug and pinned him to the ground, yelling at other teachers for help.

And although he may have saved the school from grave danger, he said he doesn't feel like he's a hero.

"The way I see a hero is someone who says I'm choosing to put myself in harm's way. I know the harm, I understand it and I have fear and I'm going out there," Santana said at a news conference Tuesday. "I didn't understand any of those things, I didn't know what was going on, so it was like bam, bam. I understand those were kind of exceptional actions, but I'm not claiming to be a hero."

Santana said his brother, who is serving in Iraq right now is the true hero in the family.

The district attorney's office will file charges against the teen on Wednesday stemming from the incident.

They have yet to decide whether they will try him as a child or an adult.

And San Mateo Police Chief Susan Mannheimer said it appears the former Hillsdale High student had revenge on his mind.

"That the suspect's sole intent was to kill, injure or commit mayhem to as many students and school faculty, staff and administration as possible," Mannheimer said.

She said the plot seems to have been in the work for months, as the suspect had started to collect bomb making materials.

Picture courtesy CBS5
(MGO)