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Two Preston Junior High School students who reportedly felt
ostracized by classmates were charged Wednesday with conspiracy to
commit first-degree murder in a plan to commit a "Columbine-style"
attack at the school.
A third Preston Junior High School student has been
charged with conspiracy to commit first -degree
assault in the incident.
Scott Parent and Alexander
Vukodinovich, both 14, and Chad
Meininger, 15, had detailed, written
plans and maps in which they
plotted to shoot fellow students and
explode a propane tank on April 24
or 25, said Rita Davis, Fort Collins
police spokeswoman.
Law enforcement officials said the plan was similar
in scope and magnitude to the April 20, 1999, attack at
Columbine High School near Littleton.
Police found a Tech 9 semiautomatic handgun, a
double-barreled shotgun and a rifle as well as
ammunition for a 12-gauge shotgun and 9 mm,
.22-caliber and .38-caliber guns at Vukodinovich's
mother's ranch between Fort Collins and Loveland,
Davis said.
The weapons belonged to Vukodinovich's mother
and stepfather, but the students had access to them.
Police do not think the weapons ever were taken to
school.
Police searched lockers at the school and found
drawings that depicted where the students would shoot
from and what the aftermath would look like, Davis
said.
"They had mentioned (to other students) their target
was the 'preps' (preppy, popular, athletic students) as
well as the student population at large," Davis said.
"Some friends appeared fearful of the degree of
commitment these young men had in carrying out this
plan," said Larry Abrahamson, chief deputy district
attorney.
Vukodinovich and Parent are charged with
conspiracy to commit murder as well as charges of
being aggravated juvenile offenders. The circumstances
under which the alleged crime was committed brought
on the aggravated offender charges. If Vukodinovich
and Parent are convicted on those counts, it could mean
adult prison time after they turn 18.
Vukodinovich also faces felony menacing charges.
Both were taken to the Platte Valley Youth
Detention Center in Greeley; no bond was given.
Meininger, who is charged with conspiracy to
commit first-degree assault, did not appear in court
Wednesday. He remained in his parents' custody.
Although the students are being charged as juveniles,
Abrahamson said their names were released because of
the severity of the allegations and the fact that weapons
were involved.
Classmates at the junior high who were being
recruited to help with the attack called Fort Collins
police Jan. 12, Davis said.
The students who reported the planned attack told
police specific students were targeted, Davis said, but there was nothing
written about individual targets in the plans.
She declined to give more information about the students targeted.
Warren Pettine, a ninth-grader at Preston, said he heard the target area
was the area near the north door on the first floor, where popular
students hang out.
While Davis said police must take all such threats seriously,
Vukodinovich's attorney, Erik Fischer, said his client was boasting and
never intended to carry out his threats.
"He clearly was chastised and made fun of by the popular kids at
school," Fischer said.
Fischer said he talked to
20 individuals who thought
the threats were boasting
and would never come to
fruition. Vukodinovich
understands his comments
were inappropriate, he
said.
"My client wants to take
responsibility for these
threats," Fischer said.
Vukodinovich and Parent appeared Wednesday in front of Larimer
District Court Judge Arnaud Newton with their parents. Parent, a slight
14-year-old with dark hair, sat between his attorney, Kirk Brush, and
his parents.
Parent has a juvenile record, including problems with weapons, but
never failed to appear in court or attempted to run away, Brush said.
For the past three weeks, he's cooperated with investigators, he said.
"He's 14 and not street-wise or independent," Brush said.
Brush said he believed forcing Parent to miss time away from his
family and school would cause irreparable harm due to Parent's age and
the fact that all the students did was "talk."
Vukodinovich, who is about 5 feet 5 inches tall with blonde hair, has
never been in trouble with the law, Fischer said.
Because both are charged as juveniles, they could be held only until
their 18th birthdays unless they are convicted of being aggravated
juvenile offenders, Abrahamson said. In that case, the juvenile facility
could decide to send the teen-agers to an adult prison after their 18th
birthdays.
All three students were suspended from Preston when details of the
incident surfaced. Both Vukodinovich and Parent have re-enrolled in
different schools. Fischer said Vukodinovich was attending Frontier
High School in Fort Collins.
Brush did not comment on which school Parent was attending.
Parent is scheduled to appear again in court at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Vukodinovich's next court date is at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 16.
Fischer said he expects Vukodinovich to enter into a plea agreement.
Brush, however, said he expects the case against Parent will go to a
jury.
Meininger is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 26. Abrahamson said it
was premature to comment on what a plea agreement might stipulate if
Meininger enters into one.
Coloradoan reporter Julia Thornton contributed to
this report.
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