Police: Teen rigged exploding pens for revenge

[spatha]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10396527/

Police: Teen rigged exploding pens for revenge
Three injured by booby-trapped devices found at high schools

ROSEMEAD, Calif. - A teenager admitted rigging pens that exploded and injured three people at two high schools because he wanted revenge after being expelled, a detective said.

El Monte police arrested the 17-year-old boy on Wednesday after an anonymous phone tip led them to search his home.

They said they found explosive materials and books he allegedly used to learn how to booby-trap the pens to detonate when uncapped. Victims who found them lying on the ground at Rosemead and El Monte high schools suffered minor burns and scratches on their hands and faces.

“He admitted this was stupid,” said El Monte Police Det. Dennis Miller. “It’s a very serious offense. I wouldn’t consider it a prank. ... It could have turned into something that caused far more injury, and even death, than it did.”

The name of the teen, who had attended Rosemead, was not released because he is a minor. Miller and school officials declined to say when or why he was expelled.

He was in custody on suspicion of using a destructive device and possession of bomb-making components, both felonies. The district attorney was to get the case later Friday to decide whether to bring charges.

In the first incident, at Rosemead High School on Aug. 24, a construction worker picked up a pen near a line of students. In September, a Rosemead resident picked up a pen outside the school’s fence. Last week, a student picked up a felt-tip pen in a restroom at El Monte High School.[

What drives a person to do something like this?

 

[PirateMary]

tsk, tsk, should've followed his list.

 

[spatha]

tsk, tsk, should've followed his list.

Come now I am trying to be serious here.
WHy would someone trap 3 random pens to explode?

 

[EricNoah]

Chaotic evil?

 

[Darkness]

Pretty messed up. What penalty could he get - anyone here familiar with Californian laws?

 

[Sniktch]

But all he wanted was a Pepsi!

 

[PowerWordDumb]

Come now I am trying to be serious here.
WHy would someone trap 3 random pens to explode?

They were getting all up in his case about something?

 

[WayneLigon]

There could be several reasons.

Bullying is usually the leading cause, where someone is tormented to the point that they just snap. Doesn't sound like it, though, because generally those people go for specific people rather than just scattering something around for anyone to find. If they had been placed in lockers or something like that, then that would be my first thought.

Several mild sociopathic types do this type of thing because they make no real connection between cause and effect. They either don't work out the consequences or dismiss them from their mind.

The stupid. Yes, some people just don't 'get' that what they've done is dangerous, especially if they have no real concept of actual danger. They may be child-like in that regard. Or, sometimes people just do dumb stuff, like that kid a couple years ago that decided, hey, it would be funny to reach over and jerk up the emergency brake handle on the car he was riding in with several others. (He died, the others I think had very minor injuries).

 

[FickleGM]

Pretty messed up. What penalty could he get - anyone here familiar with Californian laws?

I'm sure it will depend on his current record (school and criminal) and how sincere his apologies appear. If this turned out to be a stupid prank with no thought put into the consequences, I'm sure that he'll get some intimidating lectures, possibly a fine and a "next time it won't be this easy".

If, on the other hand, he has a history of misbehavior then the penalties will probably be much more severe.

Now, I don't have any familiarity with Californian laws, just a passing familiarity with how the justice system tends to handle these sorts of cases. I am sure that some will want to make an example of him, but most importantly, if he appears to be naive and careless they will want to put the fear of god in him.

 

[FickleGM]

They were getting all up in his case about something?

Ok, not quite on the same level of Warlord Ralts, but not the worst I've read.