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FARMINGTON — Prosecutors have filed a motion to have the teenager accused of taking two guns to Mueller Park Junior High certified to face the charges as an adult, a juvenile court judge confirmed in a hearing Thursday.
The 15-year-old Bountiful boy, who has been in juvenile detention since the Dec. 1 incident, was greeted by his parents as he was brought into the courtroom to sit next to them for the brief hearing.
The boy's mother put her hand on his shoulder and patted his leg reassuringly, while his father moved in close and pressed their heads together. The shaggy-haired boy, dressed in gray sweats, smiled at the greeting.
The teen was charged Dec. 15 as a juvenile with two counts of theft, a second-degree felony; discharging a firearm, a third-degree felony; and two counts of possession of a firearm on school premises, a class A misdemeanor.
KSL has chosen not to identify the teenager at this time.
As the boy's attorney, Lindsay Jarvis, entered denials on his behalf to all charges and waived a speedy trial, 2nd District Judge Janice Frost said she intends to keep the case moving forward.
"It's not in the juvenile's best interest to prolong this any longer than necessary," Frost said.
The judge acknowledged that discussions about a resolution in the case are ongoing as she set a scheduling hearing for Jan. 19. The boy remained in detention Thursday.
Related:
Body cam video shows arrest of teen at center of Mueller Park Jr High lockdown
Criminal charges were filed Thursday against a 15-year-old boy who police say took two guns to school and fired one of them in a classroom before he was stopped by his parents.Police say the teen took two guns — a 12-gauge shotgun and a 9 mm handgun, as well as ammunition for both weapons — from his parents' home and brought them with him to Mueller Park Junior High School, 955 E. 1800 South, Bountiful.
Investigators say the guns the boy took are normally locked in his parents' safe.
The boy walked unannounced into a science class, and without saying a word, fired a blast from the shotgun into the ceiling in front of 26 students and a teacher, witnesses reported.
A teacher and a student in the class, a friend of the boy, urged him not to do anything else. As the boy hesitated, his parents, who had heard the shot, came running in to disarm and restrain him.
The parents told police they had noticed concerning changes in their son's behavior, including variations in his routine that morning, that caused them to check and realize the firearms were missing.
The boy was taken into custody without incident minutes later by responding police officers.
Court officials say the teen has no previous history with the juvenile court system.
