Md. teen faces extradition in student threats

WALKERSVILLE, Maryland (CNN) -- California authorities have begun extradition proceedings against a Frederick County teen-ager accused of making terrorist threats over the Internet to students in Santee, California, and Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

Patrick Andrew Smith, 18, of Walkersville, remains in jail after being denied bond on a fugitive warrant from San Diego County, California. Additional charges are pending in Maryland, and he is expected to appear in court Monday morning.

ALSO Funeral held for California school shooting victim    VIDEO Listen to two 911 calls from Santana High School Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) A school supervisor distracted the gunman from shooting at least one student, and was shot himself. Correspondent Esther Trouw reports Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    LAW ARCHIVE Felony Complaint: People v. Charles Andrew Williams (FindLaw) Documents in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.  GALLERY Images of the aftermath of the Santana High School shooting in Santee, California    RESOURCES Diagram of the Santana High School shooting scene List of Santana victims Timeline of recent school shootings Risk factors for school violence Talking about school violence

The district attorney's office of San Diego County has begun proceedings to have him taken there to face two charges of making terrorist threats.

Smith was arrested by Maryland State Police shortly after 9:30 p.m. Friday in Walkersville near the home of his parents, with whom he was living. Police had had him under surveillance and picked him up as he drove away from the home.

State police investigators were contacted Friday afternoon by detectives from the Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Response Team (CATCH) in San Diego who were investigating threats made to two 15-year-old girls in Santee, California. One of the girls is a student at Santana High School, the scene of Monday's shooting in which two students were killed and 13 people were wounded. The other teen attends West Hills High School.

Smith was already being investigated by Colorado authorities for allegedly making a similar threat March 6 via the Internet to an 18-year-old student at Columbine High School.

Columbine High was the site of a 1999 rampage that left 15 dead, including two teen-age gunmen.

Police obtained search warrants and removed computer and other electronic equipment from the Walkersville home Friday. Maryland police said the electronic threat to the student at Columbine was traced to Smith's computer.

Investigators also traced instant messaging conversations with the two Santee girls to Smith.

Heightened security was ordered for Santana High School on Friday after a student received the threat warning of plans to "complete" the job started by the alleged student gunman earlier in the week. The message said more violence could be expected Friday. No incidents were reported.

Charles Andrew Williams, 15 , has been charged in the shootings. Police said they knew of no connection between Williams and Smith.

A sheriff's spokesman said a second Internet threat was received by a student at neighboring West Hills High School, and that also is under investigation.

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