Former Connetquot High School student, Christopher Franko, along with girlfriend and current Connetquot High school student, Dana Saltzman were arrested recently after a tip from Franko's social worker was reported to authorities that the two teenage students were planning an attack.
Evidence from both of the teenager's cell phones and computers revealed text messages discussing plans to buy firearms and kill people, as well as research regarding explosive websites and bomb-making. Because of a former grudge against his school in Long Island, Franko planned with his girlfriend, Saltzman, to "buy shotguns, enter his old school and indiscriminately shoot down students and teachers days before his ex-classmates were scheduled to graduate," according to a huffingtonpost.com article.
Franko, who left Connetquot High School and graduated from a special-ed program apparently had a lot of hatred towards his whole class, especially when a facebook message to a memorial page showed satisfaction concerning the death of two classmates earlier in the year.
The two teenagers were arrested and charged for conspiracy as adults and pleaded not-guilty. If convicted, they could each face up to a year in jail. Saltzman was released without bail, and Franko will be held in jail until his court date of June 8th.
In my opinion, these two teens got off slightly easy. For how devastating Columbine was, the same style shooting planned in this situation should not be tip-toed around, especially if Franko already has something wrong with him. (grudges, special-ed program)
Also, considering that we talked about ethics in class on Friday, I thought that some of the content stated in the article that I got this story from was inappropriate, specifically the two teen's exact plan. I don't feel as though that teacher's and student's and their families would appreciate reading about the "plan of attack" that could have potentially happened to their loved ones.
I know the media and whoever reported this is just doing their job and that everyone has their own set of ethics, but give deep thought about what you're putting out there.
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I think that those teens got off really easily. Why on earth were they not more severely charged? It does not make sense to me that they could go through the trouble of planning to kill people and still get off so easily because someone tipped off their plan before they could carry it out. I will never understand why the answer to a grudge would be to kill people, but nonetheless these teens should receive a harsher punishment in order to show them and other teens is it ok!
ReplyDeletePlanning to take the lives of other human beings and all these teenagers are facing is a year behind bars? Why is Franko holding a grudge in the first place? Plenty of high school students are teased, but yet don't kill innocent people. Obviously, this young man, as well as his partners-in-crime could use a psych evaluation, because simply a year in jail will not cleanse these individuals of their violent thought pattern.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that these kids got off that easy. I guess our justice system is starting to let us down a bit. I'm wondering if it will take another Columbine tragedy to make this a more serious crime than it is.
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty sad to hear what these two are supposively getting away with. If they have the evidence from them talking about what they are doing, why can't they charge them? School shootings are happening more and more around the country. I believe we as a country need to do more in school systems to help control and eliminate any chances of these happening.
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