Washington School Shooting: Prosecutor Seeks Probation For 9-Year-Old Boy

BREMERTON, Wash. -- A Washington state prosecutor says his office will seek probation and treatment for a 9-year-old boy who took to school a gun that accidentally discharged and critically injured a classmate this past week.

The third-grader faces charges of unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault. He is facing a capacity hearing in which a judge will determine if he knew what he did was wrong. If the judge decides the boy knew, the charges go forward.

An 8-year-old classmate – Amina Kocer-Bowman – was wounded. She is in a Seattle hospital in critical condition after undergoing surgeries.

Few additional details of the case have been released, though the investigation may include a look at how the boy got the .45-caliber pistol that went off in his backpack.

Hauge said his office is working with the investigative agencies involved in the shooting.

Police believe the boy got the gun during a weekend visit with his mother, Jamie Lee Chaffin.

According to court documents, Chaffin has been convicted of forgery and drug crimes. As a felon, her right to own a firearm was revoked. She completed court-ordered drug treatment, and no additional criminal charges were filed against her after 2007.

The boy's father, Jason Cochran, has been convicted of violating protection orders relating to Chaffin and has been taken to court for child support.

Both parents relinquished custody of the boy and his two sisters to his paternal grandmother. She died shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2010, and the boy's uncle Patrick Cochran was granted custody.

The boy's family bailed him out of juvenile detention and took him to his uncle's home Thursday night. Bail had been set at $50,000. The boy will remain under house arrest and must check in daily with the county juvenile department.

Comments

[lisaman]

01:04 PM on 02/29/2012

Good grief. What a start to life this child has had.

[bradwindley]

03:41 AM on 02/29/2012

With two additional school shootings, a stabbing, and one teacher poisoning by students from 5th grade up, do the bleeding hearts not see that lack of consequences only leads to further escalation of school violence and behaviors that have permanent consequences for many more than the victims? Bullying, hazing, acceptance of violence on TV and in Games, and access to weapons must be a priority and controlled at school, at work, and at home. Parents, guardians, responsible adults, and young people must be held responsible.

[lisaman]

01:05 PM on 02/29/2012

Thank goodness the world is not full of only people like you.

[maliksmama]

11:10 PM on 02/28/2012

Thank God he's white!!! Otherwise, he'd be looking at 25 to life in most states; capital murder in Texas.

[orthobobsuruncle]

05:54 AM on 02/28/2012

So, so sad.

[UDDITY123]

11:54 PM on 02/27/2012

Look all im saying is that the boy might have not known that the gun colud discharge like that and you all need to realize that this boy is sorry for what he did and the courts need to arrest acual criminals not kids. so all of you jerks that think this boy said "oh,i hate that one girl at school so let me go and shoot her then try to make it look like it went off on accident".

[Libertarian5]

10:51 PM on 02/27/2012

I'm so glad to hear that a D.A. makes a decision that is sane and humane, instead of making political hay by calling for prison without parole for that little kid. But I am worried about laws that would have allowed him to do otherwise. Anyone under 14 or 16 should be treated as a kid, by statute.

[KC98837]

10:33 PM on 02/27/2012

I am absolutely disgusted at the level of outrage against this child. He had no desire to bring harm or danger to anyone. He brought something shiny to school and has been confronted with one of the most terrifying things a person can face; that he seriously injured another person. Has society really devolved to the level that this poor child is now fighting for his life as well? The State honestly needs to dismiss without prejudice all charges against this boy. If they want to press charges against the owner of the gun, by all means, do so. Obvious negligence. But this boy has been harmed enough.

[pupmobile]

10:02 PM on 02/27/2012

I think the procecutor is doing the right thing by asking for treatment and probation for him.So sad to think he is a nine year old child.

[PirateGrl8]

08:30 PM on 02/27/2012

It sounds like drugs, guns and violence were a normal part of this little boy's life as well as general upheaval and possibly some neglect. It's not so surprising in this case that he may not have understood the consequences of his actions. He may have had no ill intent at all. At his age he would be a good candidate for rehabilitation through education and a more stable environment. As for the adults, whomever made that gun available to the boy should be the one to make restitution to the victim's family. Hopefully the victim will make a full recovery. Very sad case all round.

[Kathryn Seifert]

05:31 PM on 02/27/2012

Most youth with weapon or aggression related behaviors (intentional or mishaps) come from families with criminal backgrounds, easy access to firearms, and histories of domestic violence and substance abuse. Nothing new here. This case appears to fit this pattern in some ways, if not all. Children from similar backgrounds are often traumatized or have poor judgment and a low level of coping skills.

As a society, we need to make sure that children from difficult backgrounds get the services they need (mental health or developmental) as early as possible in their lives. We know how to prevent youth violence from happening. Home visiting programs, such as Healthy Families, for young families that have problems with substance abuse and violence is a proven program to prevent youth delinquency and aggression. These prevention programs need to be universal. How do we do that when important programs are being significantly cut? Some think we can cut these programs because everyone has an equal chance to succeed in America, but the playing field is not even for those children coming from violent and chaotic families. I suggest sentencing the entire family to treatment.
Dr. Kathy Seifert

[lovely09]

05:04 PM on 02/27/2012

To anyone who thinks it is okay for a child to carry a gun: No, it is not okay for a 9 year old to carry a gun.
It's not okay for a 9 year old to marry, raise children, vote, run office, smoke, drink, hold down an 8 hr job, or drive either.

[OdinsEye]

05:47 PM on 02/27/2012

It is, in fact, illegal for a 9 year old to possess a handgun and a felony to knowningly provide one to a 9 year old.

[lovely09]

09:44 PM on 02/27/2012

Exactly.

[peskime]

05:02 PM on 02/27/2012

Did anyone ever consider this boy may have taken the gun from his mother because she's unstable?
Let this poor kid get treatment

[Brautigan]

04:00 PM on 02/27/2012

I say give the kid counseling and charge his mother with assault with a deadly weapon.

[yayabiki]

04:00 PM on 02/27/2012

My heart goes out to that little boy. I'd be happy to take him.

[Denisehh3]

02:02 PM on 02/27/2012

This boy deserves some serious discipline.........however the registered owner of this loaded gun deserves to go to jail and lose the right to own a gun period........

Scenarios like this have the potential unfortunately to make laws much more rigid for those among us who have the right to bear arms that are not irresponsible........

[OdinsEye]

02:32 PM on 02/27/2012

Firearms are not registeed in most of the US. The mother already had lost the right to own a firearm, as probably have the fatehr and the boyfriend.

[peskime]

05:03 PM on 02/27/2012

Frankly, I hate guns and as a parent I would not have one in my home