Charles Andrew Williams
Encyclopedia
Charles Andrew "Andy" Williams (born February 8, 1986) is an American
who, as a teenager perpetrated the shooting at Santana High School
on March 5, 2001. In the shooting two students were killed and thirteen others were wounded. Williams is currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years.
to Charles Jeffery and Linda Williams. He was born about two weeks premature and was delivered by Caesarean section
. His brother Michael was born in 1981. He lived with his parents and brother in an apartment in Frederick the first eight months of his life, before moving to the Fort Detrick
area. His mother was a soldier in the United States Army
, and was stationed at the Army Medical Research & Material Command Center in Fort Detrick before being assigned to the Middle East
in June 1989. Andy's parents separated that Christmas and divorced in 1990. Williams was raised by his father and his brother was raised by their mother. He seldom saw his mother after the separation. Williams later moved with his father to Hagerstown
in 1991, before returning to Frederick one year later. He attended Brunswick public schools, including Brunswick Middle School.
In August 1999, Charles' father wanted a change of scenery and moved with his son to Twentynine Palms, California
. Charles lived near his paternal grandparents in Twentynine Palms, before he would settle in Santee, California
the following summer. In February 2001, less than one week before his 15th birthday, Williams had learned that one of his best friends from Twentynine Palms was killed in a bus accident.
in Santee, where he was bullied by fellow students. He began to spend time with a crowd of skateboard
ers. Williams was accepted within this peer group; however, at times these individuals also bullied him.
Williams spoke on two occasions of his plan to "commit a Columbine
" at Santana High School, but no reports were ever made of these threats to the school. The first occasion was a week before the shooting, the second during the weekend prior to March 5. Before the shooting, Williams had two skateboards stolen from him. He took his father's Arminius .22 caliber revolver from the locked gun cabinet in their apartment. After his arrest, he told investigators that he was "tired of being bullied." On the way to juvenile hall, Williams said that he did it because he was dared to by his friends.
Williams surrendered and was taken into custody. The two students that were killed were 14-year-old Bryan Zuckor and 17-year-old Randy Gordon. Eleven students and two school supervisors suffered gunshot wounds and were treated at either University of California, San Diego Medical Center or Children's Hospital. The San Diego SWAT
team was called to "assess and clear" the scene of the shooting.
's Today that Williams was a huge fan of the rock
band Linkin Park
. The Today host then read the lyrics "Cause I'm one step closer to the edge, and I'm about to break" from "One Step Closer
", one of Williams's favorite tracks on the band's album Hybrid Theory. (Also, in a note to his father attempting to explain his actions, Williams wrote, "I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter," from the song "In the End
.") The supposed connection between the shooting spree and Linkin Park was subsequently widely reported in the media.
In an official statement, Linkin Park stated that "Like everybody else, we are extremely saddened by these events and our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims". They denied responsibility, commenting that the type of music a murderer listens to has no relation to the reasoning behind his actions. "You might as well say, it's because he ate mayonnaise
that day", frontman Chester Bennington
commented. Bennington also stated that "There's not enough attention paid to the problems of sensitive young men in our society."
in prison, and ordered him to serve his time in the Youth Offender Program at CCI, Tehachapi (since closed) until his 18th birthday, at which time he would be transferred to adult prison. Williams was given credit for the 529 days that he had served in juvenile hall, fined $10,000.00 and ordered to pay restitution to the Victims Restitution Fund. At his sentencing, Williams apologized and expressed remorse for his actions. On March 1, 2004, he was transferred to an adult prison.
Currently there are grass-root
efforts to have Williams' sentence reduced. His supporters argue that the judge was too harsh in sentencing Williams as an adult and did not take into consideration Williams' age at the time of his offense. They would like to see Williams get a retrial, but as a juvenile, which would have meant confinement by the California Youth Authority until age 25. The California State Attorney General's office handled a total of six appeals filed by Williams supporters, four to the Court of Appeals and two to the California State Supreme Court. The district court denied his petition in September 2010 and the case is now on appeal to the 9th Circuit, according to the California Attorney General's Office. Williams is currently incarcerated at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, a 640-acre facility with some 3,895 inmates, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Web site. (NOTA BENE: there is conflicting data at "Rehabilitation Website" as to current incarceration location: one datum shows Calipatria - age 24 - admission date of 2006; another shows Ironwood - age 25 - admission date of 2002). He will be eligible for parole in 2052. He will be 66 then.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who, as a teenager perpetrated the shooting at Santana High School
Santana High School
Santana High School, located in Santee, California, is part of the Grossmont Union High School District. The school serves 1,750 students in grades 9-12, as well as 84 faculty members.-History:...
on March 5, 2001. In the shooting two students were killed and thirteen others were wounded. Williams is currently serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years.
Early years
Williams was born at Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick, MarylandFrederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
to Charles Jeffery and Linda Williams. He was born about two weeks premature and was delivered by Caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
. His brother Michael was born in 1981. He lived with his parents and brother in an apartment in Frederick the first eight months of his life, before moving to the Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick
Fort Detrick is a U.S. Army Medical Command installation located in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Historically, Fort Detrick was the center for the United States' biological weapons program ....
area. His mother was a soldier in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, and was stationed at the Army Medical Research & Material Command Center in Fort Detrick before being assigned to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in June 1989. Andy's parents separated that Christmas and divorced in 1990. Williams was raised by his father and his brother was raised by their mother. He seldom saw his mother after the separation. Williams later moved with his father to Hagerstown
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
in 1991, before returning to Frederick one year later. He attended Brunswick public schools, including Brunswick Middle School.
In August 1999, Charles' father wanted a change of scenery and moved with his son to Twentynine Palms, California
Twentynine Palms, California
Twentynine Palms is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It was previously called Twenty-Nine Palms...
. Charles lived near his paternal grandparents in Twentynine Palms, before he would settle in Santee, California
Santee, California
Santee is a suburban city in San Diego County, California with a population of 53,413 at the 2010 census. Although it is a part of the East County region, Santee is located just from the Pacific Ocean. The city is connected to the coastline by State Route 52, a six-lane freeway that runs from...
the following summer. In February 2001, less than one week before his 15th birthday, Williams had learned that one of his best friends from Twentynine Palms was killed in a bus accident.
High school
Williams attended Santana High SchoolSantana High School
Santana High School, located in Santee, California, is part of the Grossmont Union High School District. The school serves 1,750 students in grades 9-12, as well as 84 faculty members.-History:...
in Santee, where he was bullied by fellow students. He began to spend time with a crowd of skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
ers. Williams was accepted within this peer group; however, at times these individuals also bullied him.
Williams spoke on two occasions of his plan to "commit a Columbine
Columbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
" at Santana High School, but no reports were ever made of these threats to the school. The first occasion was a week before the shooting, the second during the weekend prior to March 5. Before the shooting, Williams had two skateboards stolen from him. He took his father's Arminius .22 caliber revolver from the locked gun cabinet in their apartment. After his arrest, he told investigators that he was "tired of being bullied." On the way to juvenile hall, Williams said that he did it because he was dared to by his friends.
The shooting
On Monday, March 5, 2001 at 9:20 a.m., Williams entered a boys' bathroom at Santana High School and fatally shot a freshman. He then left the bathroom and began firing the revolver indiscriminately at other students, killing another. According to one witness, Williams repeatedly walked out of the bathroom, fired shots, then went back into the bathroom. The scene soon turned chaotic as students and teachers ducked or scrambled to safety. Williams reloaded his revolver at least once. A student teacher and campus security supervisor Peter Ruiz walked into the bathroom to try to stop Williams, but Williams aimed the revolver at Ruiz shooting him five times. As the student and supervisor walked out, Williams fired and hit Ruiz in the back. Two off-duty police officers who were visiting the school were alerted to the shooting; however, they were at different ends of the school. One of them approached the bathroom and called for backup. Police officers quickly arrived and charged the bathroom; they discovered Williams kneeling on the floor with the weapon in his hands. He told officers that he was by himself.Williams surrendered and was taken into custody. The two students that were killed were 14-year-old Bryan Zuckor and 17-year-old Randy Gordon. Eleven students and two school supervisors suffered gunshot wounds and were treated at either University of California, San Diego Medical Center or Children's Hospital. The San Diego SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
team was called to "assess and clear" the scene of the shooting.
Linkin Park
Following the shooting, friends of Williams said on NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Today that Williams was a huge fan of the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
. The Today host then read the lyrics "Cause I'm one step closer to the edge, and I'm about to break" from "One Step Closer
One Step Closer (Linkin Park song)
"One Step Closer" is a song by the American rock band Linkin Park. It was released as the first single and second track of their debut album, Hybrid Theory. This song is also featured in the game Rock Band 2....
", one of Williams's favorite tracks on the band's album Hybrid Theory. (Also, in a note to his father attempting to explain his actions, Williams wrote, "I tried so hard and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter," from the song "In the End
In the End
"In the End" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park. The song was released as the fourth single from their debut album Hybrid Theory....
.") The supposed connection between the shooting spree and Linkin Park was subsequently widely reported in the media.
In an official statement, Linkin Park stated that "Like everybody else, we are extremely saddened by these events and our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims". They denied responsibility, commenting that the type of music a murderer listens to has no relation to the reasoning behind his actions. "You might as well say, it's because he ate mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
that day", frontman Chester Bennington
Chester Bennington
Chester Charles Bennington is an American musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Linkin Park....
commented. Bennington also stated that "There's not enough attention paid to the problems of sensitive young men in our society."
Imprisonment
On June 20, 2002, Williams pleaded guilty to all charges against him in an effort to avoid trial. On August 15, 2002, a California judge sentenced Williams, as an adult, to 50-years to lifeLife imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
in prison, and ordered him to serve his time in the Youth Offender Program at CCI, Tehachapi (since closed) until his 18th birthday, at which time he would be transferred to adult prison. Williams was given credit for the 529 days that he had served in juvenile hall, fined $10,000.00 and ordered to pay restitution to the Victims Restitution Fund. At his sentencing, Williams apologized and expressed remorse for his actions. On March 1, 2004, he was transferred to an adult prison.
Currently there are grass-root
Grassroots democracy
Grassroots democracy is a tendency towards designing political processes where as much decision-making authority as practical is shifted to the organization's lowest geographic level of organization: principle of subsidiarity....
efforts to have Williams' sentence reduced. His supporters argue that the judge was too harsh in sentencing Williams as an adult and did not take into consideration Williams' age at the time of his offense. They would like to see Williams get a retrial, but as a juvenile, which would have meant confinement by the California Youth Authority until age 25. The California State Attorney General's office handled a total of six appeals filed by Williams supporters, four to the Court of Appeals and two to the California State Supreme Court. The district court denied his petition in September 2010 and the case is now on appeal to the 9th Circuit, according to the California Attorney General's Office. Williams is currently incarcerated at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, a 640-acre facility with some 3,895 inmates, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Web site. (NOTA BENE: there is conflicting data at "Rehabilitation Website" as to current incarceration location: one datum shows Calipatria - age 24 - admission date of 2006; another shows Ironwood - age 25 - admission date of 2002). He will be eligible for parole in 2052. He will be 66 then.
External links
- Andy Speaks
- Santana High School shooting
- Andy Williams. Unhappy kid. Tired of being picked on.
- Terrorist without a cause The Huffington PostThe Huffington PostThe Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...