He, family express pain and remorse over Santee tragedy

March 17, 2001

The father of Santana High School shooter Charles "Andy" Williams made his first public comments about the incident yesterday, breaking down as he thanked supporters and expressed sorrow for the tragedy.

Jeff Williams, flanked by red-eyed relatives and grim-faced lawyers, had no explanation as to why his son would open fire at the school earlier this month, killing two students and wounding 13 people.

"I am confused at what happened at Santana High School and I am scared for my son," Williams read from a prepared statement. "I will do whatever is necessary to continue to support my son and to find the answers we all desperately need."

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Jeff Williams was accompanied by his parents, three sisters and their spouses, who stood side by side forming a slight semicircle around him. They made their appearance at the county Public Defender's Office, which is representing Andy Williams.

The family joined hands but some broke the link to grip Williams' shoulders when his sniffling grew worse and his voice became shakier. He had to pause several times to regain his composure.

"Mere words cannot express the remorse I feel for the families," Williams said. "My heart goes out to the people involved."

Williams was clearly touched by support from friends in Brunswick, Md., where Andy grew up and had many friends. Andy Williams had a tough time adjusting to Santee.

"Andy and I have always considered the Brunswick area our home and we now know we were not mistaken in our belief that Brunswick is our home," he said.

Williams, 41 and a single father, moved to Santee with his son last year.

Andy Williams' friends at Santana High School say the 15-year-old was often bullied. Days before the shooting, Andy Williams he threatened to shoot up the school, but his friends dismissed it as a joke.

On March 5, Andy Williams went to school, armed with his father's .22-caliber revolver, which had been locked in a cabinet.

He is accused of charged with firing several rounds inside a boys' bathroom and then an adjoining quad.

Two students, Bryan Zuckor, 14, and Randy Gordon, 17, were killed. Thirteen people were wounded, including two adults -- one a schoolyard supervisor and the other a student teacher. He The boy was quickly arrested and placed in Juvenile Hall.

In the days following the shooting, Andy Williams was described as a lonely boy from a broken home.

But an aunt, one of Jeff Williams' three sisters, called the family "close-knit."

"We are heartbroken by this event and we do not wish to offer any excuses," Cindy Weber said, also reading from a prepared statement. "However, we love our brother, Jeff, and Andy and we want to give them our full support."

As Cindy Weber spoke, Andy William's grandmother, who has been married to his grandfather for 43 years, dabbed her tears with a tissue. The boy's other aunts cried softly.

Weber wept harder when she extended sympathies to the families of the slain boys.

"There is no way anyone can ever repay the loss that they have suffered," she said.

She offered hope that lessons can be learned from the tragedy.

"We hope from this catastrophe, our society can find greater understanding and can discover the root problems that drive children to commit these desperate acts," Weber said. "We just pray that in time, everyone that has been affected can somehow find resolution and healing."