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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

What the HE double Hockey Sticks is GOING ON HERE

So the past few weeks have brought out the crazy's here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I don't know what it is. Is something in the water? So for those of you who are not from the area, I grew up here, I have to say I've always felt pretty safe here and still do now, however, I'm just like WTH is going on?

I mean we all go a little crazy sometimes, but this is just taking it to the extreme!

Here is a quick time frame of the past week or two:

1) Oakland, CA a Southwest airplane made an emergency landing because a man exposed himself to a female passenger, beat up a flight attendant and then stripped naked. http://www.wric.com/global/story.asp?s=10965636

2) August 23, 2009 Pittsburgh, CA (1 city from my home, I actually was on the freeway at 5am and saw them investigating) Man runs back and forth both the East and West bound lanes of Highway 4 in Pittsburgh. The police detained the crazy man and out of no where after he was detained he died.

http://www.kron.com/News/ArticleView/tabid/298/smid/1126/ArticleID/2742/reftab/36/t/Man%20Seen%20Running%20Across%20Pittsburg%20Freeway%20Dies%20in%20Police%20Custody/Default.aspx

3) August 21, 2009 - Antioch, CA (This took place a few miles from my home, damn I don't feel like I live in a bad neighborhood.) 15 year old boy and a 17 year old boy, shoots up moving cars in an apartment complex. http://cbs5.com/crime/antioch.car.shooting.2.1138685.html

An now this happened Yesterday. I have to say I grew up in San Mateo and Hillsdale High School was one of our rival schools. We've all read and heard about Columbine and the other school tragedies, it's a different feeling to know this happened to a school that you know and are familiar with.

I just wanted to put this out there because these teachers, what they did, was possibly save the lives of many students and teachers and they are true hero's.

A TOAST to all you TEACHERS OUT THERE!! If you know someone who is a teacher and they blog on here, go to their page and send them a comment. They deserve it!!

I wouldn't go after a kid with a chainsaw, sword and 9 pipe bombs strapped to him, to which two he had already set off. I guess we should be thankful he didn't have any guns.

Police, Teachers At High School Hailed As Heroes

Posted: 10:19 pm PDT August 24, 2009Updated: 12:42 am PDT August 25, 2009
SAN MATEO, Calif.

http://www.ktvu.com/

-- Faculty and police officers who subdued a teenage suspect armed to the teeth at a San Mateo high school Monday morning were praised for their actions as authorities continued their investigation into why the teen made the attack.

The 17-year-old former student who detonated two pipe bombs at San Mateo's Hillsdale High School Monday morning was also armed with a chainsaw, a 2-foot sword and numerous other explosives, San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer said.

Manheimer said the teen had entered the campus with the chainsaw, the sword and 10 homemade pipe bombs attached to a tactical vest he was wearing.

He exploded two of the pipe bombs in an empty hallway near the library before being confronted by two teachers and fleeing. The suspect was then tackled by a third teacher.

Lt. Mike Brunicardi said. Principal Jeff Gilbert and another teacher arrived a moment later and helped hold the suspect down until police arrived and arrested him.

Brunicardi called the actions by Gilbert and the teachers "simply heroic."

"All the while that the teachers and principal are confronting this kid, holding him down and tackling him, he's got eight live pipe bombs attached to his person," Brunicardi said.

Police remained on the scene at Hillsdale High School late Monday evening trying to wrap up their investigation.

The damage caused by the attack was visible from across the street. Pipe bombs -- most set off by bomb technicians -- and debris could be seen on the school grounds next to the building. There were some dents in exterior metal doors and at least one window shattered.

On Monday evening, KTVU talked with one of the San Mateo police officers who helped arrest the suspect in the case while the suspect still had eight pipe bombs strapped to his chest.
Captain Kevin Raffaeilli said he and three fellow officers took the suspect into custody after the youth was tackled by Hillsdale faculty members.

Raffaelli said the teachers and Officers Rick Apecechea, Roberto Gonzalez and Jeff Dellinges all risked their lives in taking down the heavily armed suspect.

"These types of devices are highly unstable depending on how the individual puts them together and what materials they use. So there was always that element of danger," explained Raffaelli.
Officer Apecechea was the first officer on the scene. He physically held the suspect down and told others to clear away, fearing the devices could go off at any time.

"It was excellent work on Officer Apecechea’s part to restrain the individual and handcuff him so he couldn’t use his hands to get to any of the devices," said Raffaelli.

Meanwhile, after the teen was arrested, ATF agents and other investigators collected evidence from the suspect's apartment.

Neighbors said the 17-year old -- who lives with an older sister and his mother --.was quiet and kept largely to himself.

"It's shocking, you know? Because all the families here have kids," said area resident Annette Stevens. "All this stuff was being made next door; all these children were at risk."
Neighbor April De Guzman said she went to Hillsdale High School with the suspect and lives a few doors from where he lived.

"Alex just really kept to himself," said De Guzman. "He was a really quiet kid. He didn’t have that many friends. He kind of cut school a lot, so I didn’t see him a lot. But he was in some of my classes."

De Guzman said there were no signs that the teenager could carry out such a potentially violent attack.

April was in school Monday and was surprised to learn who had been arrested.
"It's really scary. I mean, I was at Hillsdale just a few hours ago," said De Guzman. "It was just crazy. Then I come home and [find out it’s] my next door neighbor."
According to the San Mateo Union High School District Web site, the school will remained closed until Wednesday morning so the district can examine and repair damage in order to ensure student safety.

The district advises students, parents or staff in need of support or a secure place to stay on Tuesday to report to the San Mateo Adult School located behind San Mateo High School at 789 Poplar Street. Counselors, psychologists and teachers will be available at the Adult School beginning at 8 a.m.

I want to say what could possibly happen next, but I said that last week after the other crazy stuff had happened and now this. So I think I'll just keep my mouth shut!




13 comments:

Emmy said...

Wow that would have been so scary. Amazing that no one got hurt, those teachers really are heroes.
And yeah, there is a reason I hardly ever watch the news.

Krimmyk said...

Wow, how weird. It seems like that is going on not just in your neck of the woods sadly. Makes me so scared to let the little dude go to school even where we are! Those teachers ARE heroes!

Mandee said...

Wow! All of that is very scary!

Stephanie said...

If you were up here in Canada I would blame the crazy weather!
Those teachers are true heros!

Frugal Vicki said...

Oh my! It is getting so scary. I think I am going to look into homeschooling sheesh. I won't have any fingers, I will be biting my nails all day everyday until my babies get home!

Vodka Logic said...

It's a scary world everywhere.

xx

Unknown said...

Oh my - what a lot of drama!

You asked about my labels - no I don't make my own - I have bought some with their names already on, and have some other blank ones.

Five Moms & A Blog said...

Wow, how scary! Can you imagine if that was your kid's school and you heard about it on the radio? My friend heard that her daughter's school was in lock down and it was a little nervewracking for her!

Not to mention being attacked on the airplane!

BTW, your son is adorable!

~ Nan

Multiple personalities.. said...

Holy cow!! That's one crazy list! It does seem like there's something making everyone go nuts at once. Geez! I hope you can stay away from the madness, that's just way too much drama to deal with. Thanks for sharing though, some of that was pretty hilarious!

Amy said...

Teachers are the best. One of my teachers in high school helped me when all four of my tires when flat. He paid for everything and made sure we were safe. We paid him back but he was the best teacher ever.

Suzanne said...

Hey Lisa Anne,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I love yours and will subscribe asap. Your proifle is ME all over again!:-)
Anyway, I wish you had made everything up in this post but I know you didn't so it is even that much scarier. What a wild place we all call home.

Macey said...

You are so right. This stuff is CRAZY. I LOVE TEACHERS. : ) I think they have a calling, they must, how else can they do it?

thatdesigngal said...

Dude, what is going on? Ridiculous.