In 2012, T.J. Lane entered Chardon High School in Chardon, Ohio, and began shooting to target a person he believed was a romantic rival. Despite being described as a troubled individual, T.J. tragically took the lives of three students and injured three more.
Why did T.J. Lane kill his classmates?
Although he grew up in a typical Midwestern town, Thomas Michael Lane III did not have a happy upbringing. His father, Thomas Lane Jr., spent most of his son’s life in and out of prison, mainly due to his history of violence against women. This included Lane’s own mother, who was also arrested for domestic violence on multiple occasions.
Consequently, T.J. Lane’s parents ultimately surrendered custody of their son, leading to his placement under the care of his grandparents.
CNN reports that students from Chardon High School characterized T.J. Lane as “reserved,” as he rarely spoke about his troubled family background and had a small social circle. Additionally, he was not a member of any extracurricular groups or social circles.
On the other hand, some recalled a much kinder person. While speaking with CNN, Lane’s classmate Haley Kovacik said the following:
“He seemed like a very normal, just teenage boy. He did have a sad look in his eyes a lot of the time, but he talked normally, he never said anything strange.”
According to Teresa Hunt, her niece used to take the bus to school with Lane, and she described him as a “kind” child who would interact with her niece when nobody else would.
Although he appeared to be kind on the outside, T.J. Lane was considered an unwilling student and was ultimately moved to the Lake Academy Alternative School in Willoughby, Ohio after his first year. As reported by International Business Times, Lane shared a troubling piece of writing on Facebook two months before the shooting occurred.
The post read,
“I am Death. And you have always been the sod. Now! Feel death, not just mocking you. Not just stalking you but inside of you. Wriggle and writhe. Feel smaller beneath my might. Seizure in the Pestilence that is my scythe. Die, all of you.”
The Chardon High School Shooting
The students of Chardon High School were struck by a nightmare on Feb. 27, 2012, around 7:30 a.m. T.J. Lane entered the cafeteria, where students typically gathered before their morning classes, and proceeded to shoot five male and one female student. As he attempted to flee, Lane was stopped by teacher Joseph Rizzi and coach Frank Hall.
However, when his violent outburst finally ended, three students – Russell King Jr., Demetrius Hewlin, and Danny Parmertor – had lost their lives and two others were left with serious injuries. A surviving student was able to name the perpetrator as Lane.
T.J. Lane’s Conviction
T.J. Lane’s trial outcome was as predicted: he was swiftly prosecuted and found guilty of the offense. However, it was his conduct during the court proceedings that garnered media attention.
During his sentencing, Lane donned a white shirt with the word “KILLER” crudely written on it, used vulgar language when addressing the victims, and even raised his middle finger while stating,
“This hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the memory. Fuck all of you.”
Although it is widely believed that T.J. Lane targeted a love rival, he did not explicitly state his motive in court. However, he was sentenced to three life terms, representing the three students he killed.
Following his conviction, T.J. Lane was sent to the Allen Correctional Institution in Lima, Ohio, where he continued to exhibit the same problematic behavior he had displayed in high school.
Records from the institution indicate that he had been reprimanded on seven occasions for actions including urinating on walls, self-harm, and refusing to complete assigned tasks, as reported by Cleveland.com.
On Sept. 11, 2014, T.J. Lane and two other inmates managed to escape from prison. As a result, Chardon High School was quickly shut down to ensure the safety of its students. Lane was captured within 24 hours without much attention.
Where is T.J. Lane now?
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Lane is currently imprisoned at the Warren Correctional Institution in Youngstown, Ohio, which is considered a “supermax” facility. Due to this, his daily routine is more limited and he has significantly fewer rights compared to when he first arrived at the supermax.
