H.S. Shooting Suspect Facing Attempted Murder
March 24, 2001 -- The student who wounded five people when he allegedly opened fire outside his high school will be charged with attempted murder and assault, officials said on Friday.
The suspect, identified as 18-year-old senior Jason Hoffman, is recovering from gunshot wounds to his jaw and buttocks suffered during a gun battle with officers at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, Calif. Hoffman allegedly wounded five people — two teachers and three students — as they were returning from lunch period before his confrontation with police.
At a press conference this afternoon, San Diego District Attorney Paul Pfingst said prosecutors would pursue one count of attempted premeditated murder and multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
Hoffman, Pfingst said, is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned next Tuesday. Officials have not determined whether Hoffman will be well enough to make a court appearance or whether he will be arraigned in his hospital bed. If convicted, Hoffman could face a life sentence and an additional 47 years in prison.
El Cajon Police Chief James Davis said Hoffman's shooting spree lasted only about a minute-and-a half. Investigators believe Hoffman skipped his morning classes and drove to the quad area outside the administration building on the Granite Hills campus shortly before 1 p.m. local time.
Police say they still have not determined a possible motive for the shooting. However, Davis said Hoffman, armed with a .22-caliber handgun strapped to his waist, aimed and fired at school vice principal Dan Barnes, who avoided the bullets. Then, investigators believe, Hoffman started firing indiscriminantly, firing two rounds at the door and window leading into the administration building.
The gunfire caught the attention of police officer Richard Agundez, who was assigned to Granite Hills High School as part of an anti-violence program. He immediately ran toward the sound of the shooting and was joined by a sheriff's deputy who was investigating another unrelated incident on campus.
Police say the suspect fired at the officers and missed, hitting a police car. The officers returned fire, and Hoffman was hit in the face and buttocks. Hoffman was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital where he's listed in stable condition.
Police also found a 12 gauge pump-action shotgun in Hoffman's truck. Investigators said both guns belonged to Hoffman.
‘Recovering Community’
Hospital officials said none of the five people wounded — two boys, a girl and two female teachers — suffered major injuries, and only one required surgery for pellet wounds to the chest. That victim remains hospitalized while the others have been released.
Several other people, hospital and police officials said, suffered injuries from flying glass or complained of chest pains or shortness of breath from the stress of the shooting. One woman reportedly went into labor as she tried to check on the status of her child, a student at the high school.
Granite Hills High School remained closed on Friday as teachers, students and parents recovered and sought counseling for the second school shooting to shake the San Diego area this month. Granger Ward, superintendent of Grossmont Union High School District, said he expected to school to reopen Monday.
Granite Hills has approximately 2,900 students and is approximately 3 ½ miles from Santee, the town where Charles "Andy" Williams, 15, allegedly killed two fellow students and wounded 13 other people in a shooting spree March 5 at Santana High School. Both schools are part of the Grossmont Union High School District.
Williams will be charged as an adult with murder in that case and faces a rescheduled arraignment on March 26.
ABC Affiliate KGTV in San Diego contributed to this report.