Ohio High School Shooting Suspect Charged As Classes Resume

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 2, 2012 2:50PM

TJ Lane, the suspected shooter in Monday's shooting at Chardon High School. (Image via Lane's Facebook page.)

Police were on hand and some parents cheered as students from Chardon High School returned to class this morning, four days after three students were killed and two wounded by a student who opened fire in the school's cafeteria.

Hundreds of Chardon students gathered around a courthouse gazebo Thursday, sang their high school fight song and marched to the school in a show of solidarity. The march occurred a few hours before suspected shooter TJ Lane was charged with three juvenile counts of aggravated murder. Under Ohio law, if Lane is convicted on the counts, he mus remain in a juvenile detention facility until he turns 21.

However, Geauga County prosecutor David Joyce said he intends to charge Lane as an adult, which carries a sentence of life without parole, if Lane is convicted. Lane's age means he'll avoid the death penalty, whether tried as a juvenile or adult.

CBS News reports that Lane may have known some of his alleged victims well. A previous report by the Cleveland Plain Dealer quoted Chardon student Nate Mueller as saying Russell King, Jr.—a friend of one of the killed students—recently started dating Lane's former girlfriend.

Memorial services for the dead victims started today. Phyllis Ferguson, mother of victim Demetrius Hewlin, told ABC News she's already forgiven Lane. "You have to accept things done and move on," Ferguson said.