Lawyer: State to blame for Hawaii school shooting
Jan 31, 2014, 8:35 PM
HONOLULU (AP) – The lawyer representing a 17-year-old teen shot in the wrist by police at a Hawaii high school blames the shooting on the state Education Department failing to give the boy the psychiatric support he needed.
Education law attorney Eric Seitz says he’s working to ensure the statewide school district provides the teen a 24-hour treatment program on the U.S. mainland. The department declined to comment.
Seitz said Friday the teen’s diagnosis includes schizophrenia and psychosis. The Associated Press isn’t identifying him because of his age.
Police say officers fired at him when he slashed one officer with a knife and punched two others at a Honolulu school.
Seitz acknowledges the officers were confronted with a dangerous situation after the teen showed up at Roosevelt High School to register for classes.
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