School Shootings - the kid lied

[MareQ]

Did anybody else see it today? The kid that was all over the news yesterday saying he was one of the hostages in the room LIED! He is now admitting he lied and wasn't there.

He had been on every channel talking about how the gunman lined them up, tapped them and told them to leave. Made indications that the guy only wanted the girls to stay THEN was saying how he said he didn't want to go whne the gyunman tapped him and told him to leave. Saying he wante dto stay so the girls woudl feel better with "his support there". I knew something was up when he said that - what kid when faced with a HOSTAGE situation is going to ask to stay?? @@ I figured he wa slying about being brave to make himself look better- never figured he was lying about the entire thing just to get some freaking attention for himself.

 

[karynnix]

I think that he was in the moment and got caught up in the excitement. It got out of his hands before he could stop it. I commend him for going on TV and fessing up. That had to be really embarrassing for him.

 

[KevinM]

I don't commend him for anything. The only reason he fessed up is because another student revealed the truth.


He should be ashamed of himself. And so should his parents and anyone else making excuses for his behavior.

 

[mickeyboat]

He realizes what he did was wrong and has apologized. We all have made mistakes, especially when we were younger. In the grand scheme of the tragedy, does it really matter?

Denae

 

[paigevz]

He shouldn't have, of course, but he's just a kid and made an impulsive statement. He regretted the impulse, and when called on it, admitted the mistake. There are some adults who would do the former, but not the latter....................

 

[goofy!]

Did anybody else see it today? The kid that was all over the news yesterday saying he was one of the hostages in the room LIED! He is now admitting he lied and wasn't there.

He had been on every channel talking about how the gunman lined them up, tapped them and told them to leave. Made indications that the guy only wanted the girls to stay THEN was saying how he said he didn't want to go whne the gyunman tapped him and told him to leave. Saying he wante dto stay so the girls woudl feel better with "his support there". I knew something was up when he said that - what kid when faced with a HOSTAGE situation is going to ask to stay?? @@ I figured he wa slying about being brave to make himself look better- never figured he was lying about the entire thing just to get some freaking attention for himself.

He did get one part right. The guy was targeting the girls. He had a list of female students that he wanted to target on him. And a man matching his description was asking other students about the girls earlier in the day.

His Dad was on the local news right after it happened telling all about how "Cass" had a gun in his face, etc. He was one of the only parents interviewed while they were evacuating the kids. It just might be a case where the kid told the dad something in his terror, Dad went to the media, and it just got out of control.

Remember, these kids were in shock and total panic. Their school is not that far from Columbine, and all Denver kids always have this in the back of their minds.

 

[Independent]

He shouldn't have, of course, but he's just a kid and made an impulsive statement. He regretted the impulse, and when called on it, admitted the mistake. There are some adults who would do the former, but not the latter....................

Yeah - like our current and former presidents.

At least the kid had the guts to go on National TV, admit he lied and apologized.

He made a mistake. But he showed more maturity and guts by admitting it than many of our adult leaders and people in charge.

 

[luvdzne]

He realizes what he did was wrong and has apologized. We all have made mistakes, especially when we were younger. In the grand scheme of the tragedy, does it really matter?

Denae

ITA! I was very impressed he got back on T.V. to apologize! There are many adults that say things they shouldn't have said but never would go back and apologize.

 

[Fantasmic303]

I'm not going to hold this against the kid, but it does make me . I mean, there were plenty of other people in the class that were going to dispute his claim eventually. Plus I imagine that there were other students whereever he actually WAS that were going to say, "wait, Cass, you were with us...." So how do you even get caught up in making something up in the first place? It's just so obvious that someone is going to say something about it.

I can understand that he was emotional and probably came out with an initial statement that maybe wasn't exactly what he meant, which then got all out of control. It's bad enough to accidentally say the wrong thing to a reporter at the scene. It's bad enough to have yourself quoted in the local newspaper. But by the time they're calling you to appear on the Today show...well...it's time to pull the plug on the story.

When I was in college a few years ago, there was a hostage situation on campus. A former student with some psychological issues entered a building, took an entire class hostage with threats of blowing himself and the class up, and demanded that authorities have Dan Rather read an anti-semetic statement that I believe he also wanted published in, like, the New York Times or something. The situation lasted hours and was covered by national news channels (I remember seeing it on CNN) and included FBI snipers posted on the rooftops of dorms facing the classroom.

It was scary, yes. But I was not in the classroom...most of us weren't in the classroom. And I can't imagine anyone getting anywhere LYING about being in the classroom. So, again, I just and hope this kid's story doesn't overshadow the tragedy of what happened.


ETA: I just read a story about the kid, and I really really hope this doesn't follow him. It's terrible that he lied, but upon reading the article, at least I understand the motivation...he was just worried about his friends and wanted to do anything to feel like he was helping them. I get that, especially from a young kid acting in the middle of an incident.

 

[crazee4mickey]

He realizes what he did was wrong and has apologized. We all have made mistakes, especially when we were younger. In the grand scheme of the tragedy, does it really matter?

Denae

ITA! You are 100% correct with this statement and he probably did get "caught up" in everything.
What he did was not right, but everyone makes mistakes at least he's honest enough to come forward and admit it.

 

[DawnCt1]

I don't commend him for anything. The only reason he fessed up is because another student revealed the truth.


He should be ashamed of himself. And so should his parents and anyone else making excuses for his behavior.

Kids lie because they wish things were different. He no doubt wishes he could have stayed and changed the course of things. He no doubt wishes he had the courage to volunteer to stay. Can we blame him for leaving??? Of course not but maybe he blames himself anyway. This situation was traumatic for everyone involved and the feelings no doubt range from survivor's guilt to absolute relief. Certainly that is true of the parents whose children did get away. I think that the media should be ashamed of focusing on this child and put the focus back where it belongs, on the dirt bag murderer. I am sorry the jerk is dead. I would like to see him killed again.

 

[MareQ]

He no doubt wishes he had the courage to volunteer to stay. Can we blame him for leaving??? Of course not but maybe he blames himself anyway. This situation was traumatic for everyone involved and the feelings no doubt range from survivor's guilt to absolute relief. Certainly .

Blame him for leaving what? He was never a hostage - he was in a different room.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I know everyone is trying to be nice here-but maybe he lied because he wanted to be on TV. I agree that it's a good thing he came clean, but his motivation may have been as simple as wanting attention.

 

[DawnCt1]

Blame him for leaving what? He was never a hostage - he was in a different room.

The school was evacuated, was it not? He is not the story.

 

[DawnCt1]

I know everyone is trying to be nice here-but maybe he lied because he wanted to be on TV. I agree that it's a good thing he came clean, but his motivation may have been as simple as wanting attention.

And the attention he got was punishment enough.

 

[salmoneous]

Kids lie and do dumb things. Not saying it's right - but understandable. What's not so understandable is why the media is willing to put him "all over the news."

I know I'm living in a dream world - and this will never happen - but wouldn't it be great if the news reports would just wait a bit. Come out and tell people, "We don't know what is happening. When we do know, we'll tell you." Instead we get, "Here's a bunch of people who are going to speculate and guess as to what is happening - and we'll put anyone on the air who wants to make up a story. Beats admitting 'we don't know'".

 

[DawnCt1]

Kids lie and do dumb things. Not saying it's right - but understandable. What's not so understandable is why the media is willing to put him "all over the news."

.

Exactly. "Kid does dumb thing" could be a permanent type set. It is NOT news. The question is, where are the adults in this situation? NOT IN MEDIA!

 

[imsorry]

He shouldn't have, of course, but he's just a kid and made an impulsive statement. He regretted the impulse, and when called on it, admitted the mistake. There are some adults who would do the former, but not the latter....................

Exactly, there are alot of "adults" who never will admit when they are wrong.
(not that I have ever seen it happen on the Dis )

 

[Independent]

Blame him for leaving what? He was never a hostage - he was in a different room.

Whoa...

Yes he was in a different room. But a few short years ago, the worst high school tragedy in the history of this country happened right down the road from these kids. Many of these kids, who live in the same area as Columbine, know that in that high school a couple of maniacs were shooting through doors, bombing, and on a killing spree. It didn't matter if they were holed up in a classroom or not.

These kids had no idea at the time if it was one guy holed up in a classroom or if it was Columbine revisited. With Columbine, kids were being killed all over the school.

You have to remember, these kids can have a whole different perspective on hostage situations in high schools than other kids because Columbine happened in their backyard.

I would try to be a bit more sensitive to the tragedy that was happening to KIDS.

Don't dwell on the fact that a kid, in the panic of the moment, made a terrible mistake. One that he has apologized for.

DawnCT is correct. He has had ample punishment by admitting to the entire country that he lied.

 

[Robinrs]

Being the mother of a teenaged boy, I totally understand how they lie about what they WISH had happened.

My son exaggerated a situation at his school about a girl he likes. That weekend he told me that he basically made it sound better than it did. He was so ashamed. I asked him why did he do it. He said all of the other guys were talking about what THEY did and he wanted to feel like them. I reminded him that just like he made it up, THEY are probably doing it, too.

I also told him that his Mom made up a story very similar when she was 14. Just to make ME feel better I wanted others to think I was some sort of hero. It was not true and I NEVER admitted to it and it bugs me almost 40 years later.

I gave him credit for admitting it. It takes a BIG person to admit they're wrong.

This child will have to deal with his macho Dad and the world for years now. His little white lie ended up on the Today Show, critiqued by Ms. Viera, who was kind like a Mother, and Mr. Lauer who came down on him like a bomb. Not many teenagers have their lies advertised on the morning news. He will suffer greatly for this one.

Regardless, he hurt no one with this but himself.