San Diego, CA

Victims to speak at parole hearing for 2001 Santana High School shooter

Published

4 months ago

September 10, 2024

Victims to speak at parole hearing for 2001 Santana High School shooter

A parole hearing is scheduled Tuesday for the then-teenager who killed two students and wounded more than a dozen other victims at Santana High School, and several people affected by the mass shooting more than 20 years ago are expected to be in attendance.

Charles “Andy” Williams was 15 years old when he carried out the shooting on March 5, 2001, that killed 14-year-old Bryan Zuckor and 17-year-old Randy Gordon. The shooting also injured 11 other students and two school staff members.

But those injuries don’t take into account the lifelong impacts survivors like Lauren Bachmann have suffered. The shooting happened on her 16th birthday.

“Loud noises really startle me,” Bachmann said. “Even just the smallest things day to day, like I said, if I see a shooting, I’m paralyzed.”

The shooter pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison before a change in state law altered how juveniles tried as adults come up for parole. The Youthful Parole law means juveniles who receive life sentences are entitled to parole hearings no later than 25 years into their sentences.

“I think it sends a horrible message to potential mass shooters in the future,” Bachmann said. “I think if you commit a crime when you’re 15, you’ll only serve maybe 25, 30 years, and then you’ll get out, so really, there’s not a harsh penalty for being so monstrous, even at a young age.”

Kristen Dare was among the survivors who started an online petition to keep the gunman locked up.

“He was given a sentence, and he hasn’t served that time,” Dare said. “I think really it comes down to justice for the two boys, you know. Bryan and Randy aren’t here to advocate for themselves, and, you know, we really need to be the ones that speak up for their behalf.”

As a result of the shooting, the mother of two opted to send her children to neighboring West Hills, instead of Santana.

“Our home was at Santana, so it’s very bittersweet that, you know, we didn’t feel enough of a comfort level to even send our own kiddos there,” Dare said.

Now Dare and Bachmann will be among the survivors sharing virtual victim impact statements with the state parole board on Tuesday.

“I think about my classmates that don’t have a voice — Randy and Bryan — that don’t get a say in [Tuesday’s] hearing, and then I have a lot of classmates that have succumbed to addiction or death from addiction or suicide,” Bachmann said.

The survivors are hoping the lasting impact of that fateful day will speak loud enough to keep the admitted killer behind bars.

“We do have to set, like, a standard,” Bachmann said. “This isn’t OK. It’s not OK for our children to have to live through these situations, and for victims like Randy’s mother. There’s no justice for her in this.”

The shooting at Santana High School happened nearly two years after the deadly shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado.

First responders said the shooter was inside a bathroom with two wounded students when they arrived at the scene. It was later learned that the shooter was reloading a gun to step outside the bathroom to fire the weapon.

When patrol deputy Ali Perez rounded the corner, the gunman calmly surrendered.

“He was really calm, and I’ll never forget this as long as I live. He was really calm, and he kind of smiled, and said, ‘It’s just me, I’m the only one,’” Perez said.

The shooting changed the way San Diego law enforcement agencies respond to mass casualty events. The Immediate Action, Rapid Deployment (IARD) made it standard practice for any law enforcement agency to enter a critical incident scene as soon as possible with the objective of finding and stopping the threat with the least amount of force.

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San Diego, CA

Mountain West men’s basketball power rankings: Utah State, San Diego State, Boise State lead the way

Published

13 minutes ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Mountain West men’s basketball power rankings: Utah State, San Diego State, Boise State lead the way

In what will be the biggest day of the Mountain West men’s basketball season to date, Saturday looms large for all six of the conference’s top contenders.

The action-packed day begins with New Mexico (13-3, 5-0) hosting San Diego State (10-3, 3-1) at 11 a.m. Mountain time. UNLV (9-6, 3-1) and Colorado State (9-6, 3-1) will meet in Fort Collins at 2 p.m. with Boise State (12-4, 4-1) and No. 25 Utah State (15-1, 5-0) closing the night at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

In the latest NCAA Tournament projection from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, the MWC remained a two-bid league with Utah State (seven seed) and San Diego State (eight seed) earning spots. New Mexico was listed among Lunardi’s first eight out.

Here is a look at our midseason Mountain West power rankings.

Last result: 85-78 win at San Jose State (Tuesday)

Season record: 15-1, 5-0

Analysis: Utah State finally cracked the AP top 25 in the latest poll. Other than a 75-73 loss to Big West-leading UC San Diego, the Aggies have been perfect this season under first-year head coach Jared Calhoun.

Up next: Saturday vs. Boise State, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Last result: 67-38 home win over Air Force (Wednesday)

Season record: 10-3, 3-1

Analysis: The Aztecs held a seven-point lead over Utah State with 90 seconds remaining before losing on a late Tucker Anderson 3-pointer. San Diego State has bounced back nicely with convincing wins over Boise State and Air Force.

Up next: Saturday at New Mexico, 11 a.m., CBS

Last result: 81-59 home win over UNLV (Tuesday)

Season record: 12-4, 4-1

Analysis: Boise State played arguably its best game of the season against UNLV, shutting down Dedan Thomas Jr. while getting strong offensive contributions from seven different players. When the Broncos’ offense is clicking, few MWC teams can match their firepower.

Up next: Saturday at Utah State, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network

Last result: 61-53 win at Wyoming (Tuesday)

Season record: 13-3, 5-0

Analysis: Despite a strong body of work, the Lobos sit way down at No. 67 in the NET Rankings. A victory over San Diego State would provide a major boost to New Mexico’s NCAA Tournament resume.

Up next: Saturday vs. San Diego State, 11 a.m., CBS

Last result: 91-64 home win over Fresno State (Tuesday)

Season record: 9-6, 3-1

Analysis: The Rams have feasted on the bottom of the conference with victories over winless Fresno State, Nevada and San Jose State. Senior swingman Nique Clifford remains one of the MWC’s top players and is averaging a double-double at 16.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Up next: Saturday vs. UNLV, 2 p.m., Mountain West Network

Last result: 81-59 loss at Boise State (Tuesday)

Season record: 9-6, 3-1

Analysis: UNLV took a step back Tuesday in a non-competitive loss at Boise State. The Rebels have one of the conference’s best players in Dedan Thomas Jr., but the sophomore point guard needs more help.

Up next: Saturday at Colorado State, 2 p.m., Mountain West Network

Last result: 82-81 overtime loss at New Mexico (Jan. 4)

Season record: 8-7, 0-4

Analysis: It’s been a nightmare start to MWC play for the Wolf Pack, who have lost their four conference games by 11 combined points. With upcoming games against Fresno State, Air Force and San Jose State, Nevada has a chance to get its season back on track.

Up next: Saturday at Fresno State, 5 p.m., Mountain West Network

Last result: 61-53 home loss to New Mexico (Tuesday)

Season record: 9-7, 2-3

Analysis: The Cowboys were outscored 43-21 after halftime in Tuesday’s loss to New Mexico. Wyoming does hold a three-point win over Nevada, but the Cowboys are staring at a tough upcoming schedule with a home game against Colorado State sandwiched between road trips to Boise and Las Vegas.

Up next: Jan. 14 at Boise State, 7 p.m., Mountain West Network

Last result: 85-78 home loss to Utah State

Season record: 7-10, 0-5

Analysis: Unlike the MWC’s bottom two teams, the Spartans have been quite competitive this season with single-digit losses to New Mexico, Boise State, UNLV and Utah State. Senior guard Josh Uduj, a Utah State transfer, is averaging 16.8 points per game for San Jose State.

Up next: Saturday at Air Force, 1 p.m., Mountain West Network

Last result: 91-64 loss at Colorado State (Tuesday)

Season record: 4-12, 0-5

Analysis: The Bulldogs have dropped 10 of their last 11 games following a 3-2 start to the season. First-year head coach Vance Walberg has his work cut out for him.

Up next: Saturday host Nevada, 5 p.m., Mountain West Network

Last result: 67-38 loss at San Diego State (Tuesday)

Season record: 3-12, 0-4

Analysis: Air Force was the victim of a 44-4 scoring run during Tuesday’s loss. That is … not good.

Up next: Saturday vs. San Jose State, 1 p.m., Mountain West Network

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San Diego, CA

Annie Crowell Kuzminsky

Published

8 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Annie Crowell Kuzminsky

OBITUARY

Anne (Annie) Kuzminsky, beloved wife, mother, and sister passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 63.

Annie is survived by her husband Larry, her son Steven, her daughter Charlotte, her son Jack (Alex), her siblings Steven (Liz) Crowell of Houston, Texas; her brother Richard (Allison) Crowell of Pacific Palisades, California; her sister Karen (Gary) Wagner of Manhattan Beach, California; and her sister Catherine Crowell of Omaha, Nebraska.

Annie was born in Altadena, CA to James and Alice Crowell and grew up in San Mareno, CA. She attended college at Santa Clara University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Annie then moved to San Diego, CA where she met and married Larry Kuzminsky in 1989.

While residing in San Diego, Annie worked for several years with the accounting firm of KPMG and obtained her CPA. She next worked for First National Bank for several years before leaving to spend more time with her children and work part time for 20 years as a consultant for Madison Square Properties. Annie was not tempted by the corporate ladder and received satisfaction from her work relationships and doing her job well.

Annie loved being a mom and raising her three children. She helped out at the elementary school, and later enjoyed going to the many soccer games, baseball games, and track meets they participated in. Annie also loved animals. As a teenager she talked her parents into having a dog (Mitsy) and cats (Spido and Dido). More recently Annie enjoyed fostering kittens which inevitably led to the adoption of several of them. Aside from pets, one of her more memorable experiences was a safari trip to Africa.

Annie’s favorite place was the family house at Capistrano Beach. She had many fond memories of get togethers there with college, work and neighborhood friends. During family trips, she enjoyed watching the kids play, walking on the beach looking for glass, and seeing the beautiful sunsets. It was a great place to relax.

Annie had a great laugh and was one of a kind in the best way. Her moral compass was set to “true north” of caring and doing right. Annie was always her authentic self and her friends and family loved her for it. She was a realist but had a knack for looking on the bright side. That was her strength, but the cancer took all she had. She has earned her rest but will be greatly missed.

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San Diego, CA

Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi ruled out vs. San Diego

Published

16 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Gonzaga’s Michael Ajayi ruled out vs. San Diego

The Gonzaga men’s basketball team will be without two players for Wednesday night’s matchup against San Diego at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Michael Ajayi and Jun Seok Yeo were ruled out for the game against the Toreros due to illness, per the school.

Ajayi is coming off a 15-point outing in the Bulldogs’ 96-68 win over Loyola Marymount last Saturday. The 6-foot-7 senior is averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Ajayi made 12 consecutive starts before coming off the bench against Portland and LMU.

Yeo, a 6-foot-8 junior, has appeared in eight games this season, averaging 3.9 minutes in those contests. He scored a season-high eight points in Gonzaga’s 113-54 victory over UMass-Lowell. Yeo also scored five points in just three minutes against Bucknell.

Gonzaga hopes to be fully healthy for an impending matchup against Washington State set for this Saturday at the Kennel (6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET).