Maine Gunman Held Fifth-Graders Hostage

55-Year-Old Man Arrested By State Troopers; No Students Were Hurt

(CBS/ AP)  A gunman who had been on the lam for a week held 11 fifth-graders hostage at a school Friday but was tackled outside a classroom without any harm to the children, police said.

Randall Hofland, 55, had released all the students and had turned over a gun to one of the former hostages before he was arrested at Stockton Springs Elementary School, authorities said.

He was taken to jail and all of the school's pupils, about 80, were taken by bus to an elementary school in neighboring Searsport, where witnesses were being questioned by police.

"These children are very brave. They did a tremendous job," Gov. John Baldacci said.

The gunman walked into a fifth-grade classroom around the start of the day. The teacher escaped to call the police, leaving the students alone with the gunman, according to reporter Amy Erickson of CBS affiliate WABI in Bangor.

"Initially there was 11 children and he let some go," State Police Lt. Gerard Madden told Erickson. "Then Detective Jason Andrews from the state police and several other troopers, deputies and police officers arrived, secured the school. And detective Andrews began talking to Randall at which time he let students go, then he himself came out and he was arrested."

Police made the arrest around 9 a.m.

A two-mile stretch of U.S. 1 was closed to traffic for a time during the search, which involved more than three dozen police officers, including the state police tactical team.

Schools in School Administrative District 56, including Stockton Springs Elementary School, were closed for the day after Hofland fled out of concern for students' safety.

The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade.

Searsport Police Chief Dick LaHaye said Hofland had lived in the area for about seven years, most recently in a trailer off a dirt road.

LaHaye said police had not had previous contact with Hofland, but he was aware of reports that Hofland may have posted comments on an Internet message board questioning whether police had the right to stop motorists at roadblocks.

"You might be able to draw the conclusion that he might have issues with those types of actions," LaHaye said.

Baldacci praised school and police for their fast response Friday. He said the school secretary called a "code blue" and then dialed 911. After being locked down on Oct. 24, the day after the traffic incident, the schools have been in a heightened state of security, he said.

Details of the school's emergency plan weren't immediately available. The Maine Department of Education began requiring schools to enlist local police, fire and emergency preparedness officials in creating emergency response plans in 2002.

[i-hate-randall-hoffland]

i was a student in the classroom when this all happend and im telling he is a loon!. He could of just went into a store or sumthing rather then holding kids hostage. I think he need lots of help becuase he is mental in the head and i hope he dies, oh and just so u no i cut out his picture in the newspaper and burnt it. he should stay in jail for ever for what he did. I will never forget of what he di. Also i think my school should lock to doors now or atleast to something to make the school safer becuase ill tell you what, the school hasent done nothing alls they did was lock the doors for what, about a week.
sincerly, #1 hater of randall hofland

[mistylynne1]

I''m live in Stockton Springs Me and my child was at the school during all of this.
You can''t belive everything that you read. The teacher didn''t leave the classroom. Randall Hofland hit her with the door and pushed her out of the room. They make it seem that she just ran out of the room.
They also don''t say that they lost the 4th grade class they had no idea where they where and they didn''t find them in till if was all over. There is so much that you just don''t know and so much that there just not telling the public. It will all come out in time

[barbaram99]

It is not the fact he lived in the woods but as a Mainer I know the Maine way even tho I now live in Seattle. Bangor Maine CARS when children are in them..yep it is law..I am for that..They who still live there hate to be told what they can do with things they bought and paid for..I can see both sides.i HAVE KIN STILL THERE. i DO MISS mAINE.

[BillsCatz]

I read the article. It didn''t ONCE mention Obama, McCain, the NRA, the 2nd Amendment or the AFL-CIO. What it did describe is a guy who lived out in the woods by himself so long that he seems to have gone mad, around the bend, totally bananas. And this is nothing new in Maine, guys. There''s no mention of why Randall did that and likely he doesn''t know himself -- or if he does it certainly wouldn''t make sense to anyone else -- and it''s fortunate nobody was hurt. But it appears to be as simple as a local crackpot went off the deep end.

[barbaram99]

Yep the teacher done booked outa the classroom.. Yep teacher left the room to call 911. LEFT THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL CLASS WITH A NUT,, Where is the pa system that is to be in every class room.. I know the high school in Newport Me does i was a student years ago there and the classrooms got paged. WHAT COULD THE CHILDREN DO REALLY. The wrong thing was to have that teacher walked the class room with kids in there. That don''t sit right with me.

[nobama4]

....well regulated militia??????


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Posted by onemoretim





In Israel every teacher, bus-driver, and school administrator is armed. There have been no "events".

I guess you are suggesting we arm teachers, heck we trust them with children, shouldnt we trust them with firearms?


Good idea onemoretim!

[dewbug2]

turned the gun over to a former hostage....who should have shot the a$$hole between the peepers.

[jettskiman]

The students were brave. A lot braver than the teacher I see. Ran out and left them there by themselves.

[barbaram99]

I have family and Dad and I talk and he has noticed changes in the small towns in Maine. It is not as bad as the big city. That fool knew what he did was a crime and I am 54. Guns in themselves don''t kill but the crazy fool that their 5 min fame. I could walk safely down Maine''s streets even in the as she saw no need to..she does now. My heart goes out to the children who had to been a part of this awful issue. Teachers must be allowed to have a working com system in class. What is wrong with a person who is bent on child abuse. This is child abuse . Throw the book at him and then some.

[meinnv]

Get that ax shiit. As Mainer living Seattle I am appalled that ye can joke aboiut this lady with an ax..yes it only out siders would do This JOKING.

Posted by BarbaraM99 at 06:35 PM : Oct 31, 2008

I meant no disrespect about the Lizzie Borden case, nor was I joking about it. I was responding to someone who thought banning or placing even more limitations on responsible gun owners is the answer.

As I was merely stating...

Anyone who has it in their intentions to commit a violent act will do so, and with any weapon at their disposal.

The answer is simple--make stricter laws regarding gun related crimes. Gun related deaths should get the death penalty, and lesser gun related crimes should get 20 years to life.

Guns are indeed dangerous. People with ill intentions make them even more dangerous.

I wish everyone a safe & happy Halloween :)

[downsteamjim]

Trishab: So you are saying that Randall Hofland would benifit from an Obama presidency.

[slim1h2o]

America is unravelling as we sit here watching..........

[barbaram99]

fOR GET THAT AX SHIIT .i was a student in the maine schools . we never ''cited that. Yer hear a story like this and years this did not happen,we went to class and we were safe. Visitors had to go to the school office. Not just anyone would walk into a classroom with OUT the staff knowing about it . I felt safer at school years ago. That man''s issues will be dealt with by his peers.

[slim1h2o]

Happy Halloween and enjoy the weekend.


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Posted by meinnv at 06:33 PM : Oct 31, 2008


Right back at ya,,and keep in mind,,that there''s nothing scarier than schollord out there,,,,


LOL

[barbaram99]

Get that ax shiit. As Mainer living Seattle I am appalled that ye can joke aboiut this lady with an ax..yes it only out siders would do This JOKING. I hope he goes to MAINE STATE PRISOM WHERE HE BELONGS. jUST THE KIDS ARE NOT HURT. WABI TV IS A BANGOR ME STATION AND YES. i GREW UP WATCHING THAT STATION. tHE TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE A CELL. If the teacher did anything wrong he/she left the kids alone with that fool. tHAT IS A NO NO IN MY BOOK, ALLOW THE STAFF TO HAVE CELL SO THEY CAN DTAY WITH THEIR CLASS IN TIMES LIKE THIS

[meinnv]

Posted by meinnv at 06:24 PM : Oct 31, 2008

Good night there kiddo,,hope you have fun tonight.

On Halloween,,,

try to forget the "weener'''' schoollord......or whatever he''''s calling himself nowadays


Posted by slim1h2o at 06:29 PM : Oct 31, 2008

Night to you too and thanks, I plan to have a load of fun, which reminds me, I should get ready for the Halloween party.

Happy Halloween and enjoy the weekend.

[meinnv]

But you said she killed them with a hatchet and they said she didn''''t and the murder weapon was never found. You are in denial!~

Posted by elcantante1 at 06:23 PM : Oct 31, 2008

And people who can not come up with a valid argument or answer attack back.

You want me to sit and cry and beg forgiveness, say I''m a stupid little girl waa waa waa, you''re right, I am wrong. Oh please.

I am trying to get back on track so that other people can read intelligent comments and post to the story. You go right ahead and attack me back. Unlike some I don''t like mudslinging, I hate to dirty my hands unless it''s in motor oil and I''m working on my car.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by meinnv at 06:24 PM : Oct 31, 2008

Good night there kiddo,,hope you have fun tonight.

On Halloween,,,

try to forget the "weener'' schoollord......or whatever he''s calling himself nowadays

[meinnv]

I didn''t "BACKPEDDLE". But you will see what you want, you''re entitled to.

A hacthet and an axe are from the same family. I NEVER SAID "SHE HACKED HER FAMILY TO DEATH". I could say you claimed they weren''t hacked to death and a hatchet wasn''t used. If it wasn''t a hatched that hacked them, what was it?? You don''t want to answer, and I am not sticking around for you to. I have a life and other things in that life to do.

And hatched is not a form of death.

Hatch may refer to:

Hatching, also called "cross-hatching", an artistic technique used to create tonal or shading effects using closely spaced parallel lines

Hatching, the emergence of a young animal from an egg

A trapdoor, also called a hatch, a door on a floor or ceiling

A sluice gate

[meinnv]

But now you are changinf your claim from she hatched her family to death to they were killed with blunt force. I have no problem with the latter!~

Posted by elcantante1 at 06:12 PM : Oct 31, 2008

You know, people like you will always read what they want, qoute what they want and forget everything else.

I was QOUTING FROM A RHYME, and the findings of the bodies. I never accused her of hacking her family to death, only from the rhyme, which I couldn''t remember off hand.

Yes I said WE ALL KNOW SHE USED AN AXE. HELLO???? THAT IS IN THE RHYME. OK. It''s in the rhyme.

The case was memorialized in a popular jump-rope rhyme:

Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
And when she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one.


ACCORDING TO THE RHYME SHE USED AN AXE. I am not accusing her of using it. WE ALL KNOW SHE USED AN AXE. Read the rhyme. Whether she was found guilty or not, some will continue to think the way they do.

Slim was right to ignore you, which I will. I have better things to do. If my post isn''t any clearer, than my apologies and I wish you good luck in finding a translator to communicate it better to you.