Posted by abileneres on August 20, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What a shame!

Posted by Slipdrive on August 20, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

About 11 p.m. Tuesday, Officer Shawn Montgomery was dispatched to a suspicious person call at Wylie High School. Officer Montgomery contacted a 17-year-old white male who was on top of the building. The subject was arrested for criminal trespass, and the investigation continues.

Can someone please explain to me how merely being present somewhere you really aren't supposed to be is considered a criminal act? I can understand trespassing, but criminal trespassing?!?

Was he caught doing something criminal, or was he just....there? Would it not have been a better use of the city's resources to simply tell the kid to go home and drive by a few min later to assure compliance? Its good to know that while there are drug deals going down in my neighborhood, that Abilene's finest are out there protecting the sanctity of WHS's roof. I feel better already.

Posted by crazylady on August 20, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Slipdrive-have you slipped a brain cell. do you think he was just sitting up on WHS for the view? Come on, 11pm on the roof of a school only means trouble. I think APD acted properly and good job on saving some soon to be damaged property.

Posted by christamc on August 20, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As a tax paying citizen to WISD & a proud Wylie Bulldog I have nothing but thanks for the police department & their actions in removing this punk from school property! There is no logical reason why any teenager needs to be on the roof of ANY school.....period.

Posted by jhblrb on August 20, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Obviously, Slipdrive doesn't remember the Wylie fire. And I'm sure the Franklin window smasher was just upset because the drinking age is not 18. How soon they forget. I praise APD.

Posted by abileneres on August 20, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Geez Slipdrive, ya really think it's normal for a 17yr old to be on the school roof @ 11pm?

I praise APD as well!

Posted by elizabeth on August 20, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am thinking slipdrive probably knows the kid and is most likely friends with the kid up on the roof of WHS.

Posted by elizabeth on August 20, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Can someone please explain to me how merely being present somewhere you really aren't supposed to be is considered a criminal act? I can understand trespassing, but criminal trespassing?!?

to answer that in plain old fashioned english for slipdrive... trespassing is criminal so therefore criminal trespassing is a valid charge.

Yep when I was a teenager for fun and a better view I went and climb to the roof of my school... dit da dee

Posted by officerx on August 20, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

slipdrive....you said it yourself. Being somewhere they are not supposed to be. Is that not what trespassing is? The arrest title for trespassing is called criminal trespassing because it is ILLEGAL and is titled as such in the penal code. You really should educate yourself and read the Texas Penal Code. It will enlighten you. The APD did their job, but to people like you, they are wrong no matter what. No pleasing people like you is there?

Posted by Slipdrive on August 20, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Crazylady, my friends and I used to exactly that when we were in highschool. It wasn't to cause mischief or damage, but merely a place we knew we could go and not be bothered. Now i will give you the point that it is likely that he may have been up to no good, but the fact is he had done nothing to wrong at that point except be there. If we are going to start arresting people for things they could potentially do, then APD might as well mail speeding tickets out to every resident with a car since it is likely they will speed sometime. Ever read Fahrenheit-451?

Posted by cottonball107 on August 20, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

slipdrive has said nothing more than the kid has civil rights.. Quotes like "only means trouble" "some soon to be damaged" "removing this punk" has this kid guilty before it's even investigated..

Posted by TexasTwister on August 20, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Slipdrive.....please give all of us your address so we can climb onto your roof at 11:00 PM. We wouldn't do anything other than "just be there", so there wouldn't be any reason for you to get upset or call the police...right?

The kid trespassed onto private property. He was somewhere he knew he shouldn't be. And if the police officer had "simply told the kid to go home and drive by a few min later to assure compliance", and the kid had come back and destroyed something, you'd probably be on here accusing the officer of slacking his duty.

Posted by stand1864 on August 20, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't know if slipdrive is a parent or a kid, but the sad fact is that some parents would have the same convoluted attitude. That is why they have kids who think they can break school rules or damage property etc. without significant consequence. Parents need to do their kids a favor and make sure they face the consequences every time. If they don't get caught by school staff or the law, turn them in!

Security at our schools is a very serious matter. If the police had let this kid go with a warning or less serious charge, you can bet that he or his buddies would not hesitate to risk going back to do it again.

Our children go to school in those buildings. Teachers, administrators and other school staff are all neighbors, parents and grandparents in our community. A "harmless trespasser" could plant a bomb, start a fire, put something toxic in the air conditioning system or cause thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Let's hope these boys have a responsible parent to giude them in learning from their mistakes.

Posted by elizabeth on August 20, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Texastwister - yo ubring the beer I'll bring the ice chest and we will go on slipdrive roofs.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't!

Posted by Slipdrive on August 20, 2008 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow... I really touched a nerve here. I always think its funny how people feel they have to attack someone who doesn’t share their opinion. Granted I didn't agree with what happened, mainly because there is more then one way to resolve a trespass, but I didn’t personally attack anyone. But if that’s what you want...here you go.

1. Don't know the kid and don't care to (elizabeth). Im glad you can speak plain old fashioned English...you might wanna try C, UNIX, Cobal, Java, Spanish, or Russian...it’s more fun and I will still understand you. Either way you will still sound un-educated and closed-minded.

2. Officerx, you started to actually have a enlightened, and non-condescending post in terms of actually explaining that there is no diff in the penal code between trespass and criminal trespass and for that I thank you. You showed me that my problem isn’t with the officers action, but the penal code in general. But alas, your inner teenager obviously took over. And how dare you assume to know anything about me other then my dislike over how the current penal code is set up. How about you get rid of the drug dealers in my neighborhood...that would be very pleasing. How about you get rid of the meth labs that plague our city... All I am saying is that there are many more important things that require our cities resources and time other then a kid who was trespassing. I know you are capable of seeing the big picture. I praise most of your brothers in blue, but its men like you who run off at the mouth without thinking, and god knows where else, that give members of your profession a bad name.

3. Thank you Cottonball

4. Twister…really….no one sleeps in schools…if they did that would be a whole different matter….unless..wait…oh, im so sorry….did he wake you when he climbed on that dumpster lid to get on the roof??? Apparently Elizabeth is a frequent visitor of yours.

5. Stand…thank you for expressing your opinion without attacking me personally. Amazingly there are intelligent people still around.

Any more people who want to attack me for merely stating my opinion?

Posted by TexasTwister on August 20, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oooooooo.......ouch...I feel so wounded. Slip....I realize this was your first foray into the message boards on ARN. A little advice...when you express an opinion on here there will be those who don't agree with you, or take offense at what you say. You see, we have the same rights as you do to say what we think...not only about the article itself, but the musings of those who choose to comment.

You accuse us of "attacking" you, but your first comment included this slur on the APD: "Was he caught doing something criminal, or was he just....there? Would it not have been a better use of the city's resources to simply tell the kid to go home and drive by a few min later to assure compliance? Its good to know that while there are drug deals going down in my neighborhood, that Abilene's finest are out there protecting the sanctity of WHS's roof. I feel better already."

We called you out on it, and now you respond with childish name-calling.

Grow up.

Posted by TexasTwister on August 20, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

elizabeth....my dumpster or yours? *LOL*

Posted by blahblah on August 20, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Slipdrive...talk about touching a nerve! What he did was a crime. For all we know, he could be one of those kids that "doesn't learn from his mistakes" and if the officer would have just said, "go on home now sonny boy" and he left and went and burned your house down...

would you still say, "just send him home" or would you have said, "Why wasn't he arrested for Breaking the Law 15 minutes earlier?"

Most kids now days do what they want simply because someone tells them, "go home and don't break the law again".

Set an example EVERYTIME and maybe some of the crime will stop!

Posted by blahblah on August 20, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

slip---one more thing...

"Any more people who want to attack me for merely stating my opinion?"

Practice what you preach!!!

Posted by ranchero63bob on August 20, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Slipdrive,the scum bag was on the roof looking @ the moon & stars.NOT!!!

Posted by TexasTwister on August 20, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh...elizabeth...one more thing.

We'll have to meet on Slip's roof between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM, because evidently it would only be criminal trespassing if it disturbs someone's sleep. Other than that, I guess he wouldn't care.

Posted by maggiedog on August 20, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This kid needed to be on the roof about as much as I need dandruff ! Kudos to APD for preventing further damage.

Posted by mbs0606 on August 20, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

About the 15 year old.... Why did he not get any kind of charge for damages that he made to the school? I think this boy needs to work off the cost of those windows. Because we all know who will actually be paying for them. US!

Posted by elizabeth on August 20, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lmao Twister... poor slip is gonna give himself/herself (maybe both) a coronary. SLIP we still need your address because we can all show up while you are NOT asleep since that is okay with you. If my teen were out sitting on the roof of a school he had better hope APD took him took jail and not home or he wouldn't have a butt to sit on

Posted by gfm413 on August 20, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you all they are just children!
We should have counseled with them and let them go home to their mom and dads who were probably worried sick about where their kids were out so late.

Posted by abileneres on August 20, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

yeah right- parents worried sick! that's a joke. Most parents don't give a darn about what their kids are doing anymore. & when/if their little angels get caught- they are always blaming someone else instead of who they are supposed to!- themselves & their little angel. poor babies :O

Posted by kkgomez on August 20, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

gfm413...please tell me that was sarcasm?

Posted by Texan55 on August 20, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If more kids were caught in the act of breaking the law and suffer the consequences, there would be less crime.

Posted by dolphin_79605 on August 20, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I know this is a tell on age, but as a youth I watched the construction of Cooper High School.

The contractors were kind(?) enough to install outdoor wall blocks for decorative shading that could also be used as a ladder to climb to the top of many of the buildings.

I had been eyeballing those walls when one year on TV there was a show called "T.H.E. Cat". It had a central character who dressed in black clothing and could literally climb anything.

I don't know if this was a bad influence, but emulating the guy we climbed anything we could find. Walls, trees, school buildings; nothing was impervious to our youthful antics and acrobatics.

We never got in trouble formally, but once a policeman caught me on top of the old police department across from the public library in downtown Abilene (slapping self in forehead).

When asked what I was doing, I told him. He saw to it that I got down safely, explained to me the potential issues then told me not do that anymore and to go straight home.

That encounter and one that I am not going to share here pretty much ended my own personal climbing career.

Many years later when we were in High School ourselves, my friend in these adventures became "Coop" the Cougar - Cooper High's official school mascot (with sharpened gymnastic abilities).

In our case we intended no harm. We were just innocent kids goofing around. Back then we had to be home before dinner too.

Posted by bigdaddy5 on August 20, 2008 at 4:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

idiots! hope they go to juvie!

Posted by gfm413 on August 20, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by kkgomez on August 20, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

gfm413...please tell me that was sarcasm?

-----------------------------------------

It was!

Posted by teh_freaky on August 20, 2008 at 5:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

A kid on a roof at 11PM by himself?? Just let him chill up there. He won't do anything bad, he's just having some alone time...

Posted by ebtry on August 20, 2008 at 6:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good job APD...

The punk breaking into Franklin was going into the band hall where the Abilene High Band is currently parked due to construction at the AHS campus. Lot's of gadgets worth some money the punk could have gotten his hands on. Would bet he figured the place was abandoned, saw the band practicing there all month and could get his hands on some goodies. Guess he also figured there would be no alarm system. Wrong!

Posted by chriswells21 on August 20, 2008 at 6:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

abileneres...i think its funny you mentioned that some parents always blame someone else when their kid gets in trouble, its so true!

Posted by DB on August 20, 2008 at 6:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

NOTH SHOULD BE PUT IN A DETENTION CENTER UNTIL THEY ARE 21.

Posted by ropers40 on August 20, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is just one more time that parents are not aware of where their kids are or what they are doing.
I lived two blocks from the school in Wylie when it burned, I also lived there and was one of the recepients of the girl gang.
I also remember being in my garage early one morning when a truck load of kids (7 as I counted) came down my street and destroyed 4 for sale signs in peoples front yards, the time was 4:20 am.
The funny thing about the truck was that it was sporting new dealers tags.
People cannot babysit their kids with money, they actually have to be involved in their lives.
This also goes for kids that dont get money throwed at them, they have to find things to do and vandalism is usually it.
I was the parent you see on the tv commercials that was out looking for their kid when they were not where they were supposed to be.

Posted by furankuoogata on August 20, 2008 at 7 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THE CHARGES WERE EQUAL, CONSIDERING THE 15 Y.O. WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMMINAL MISCHIEF AND POSSIBLE BREAKING AND ENTERING, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE SINCE HE WAS CLEARLY A VANDAL, OR HE WOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT INSIDE AND ONLY BROKEN WINDOW INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE WINDOWS. THE 17 Y.O, WHO DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER WAS ON THE ROOF FOR TRESPASS, WHAT WAS HE CAUGHT WITH? ANY BURGLING TOOLS? WHY ROOF ACCESS? THERE HAS BEEN TOO MUCH VANDALISM RECENTLY AND BOTH NEED TO GET SOME GOVERNMENTAL SUPERVISION, BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE APPARENTLY INCAPABLE OF ANY SUPERVISION. ACCOUNTABILITY DOESN;T SEEM TO BE THE STATUS QUO ANYMORE, THANK YOU APD FOR RESPONDING TO THESE CALLS. I CAN ONLY HOPE THE COURTS NOW DO THEIR JOB AND DISPENSE EQUAL JUSTICE FOR BOTH TEENS.

Posted by donny on August 20, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Feel the hate.
After the rash of school vandalism, and the burning of while junior high, they have to take trespass seriously.
Slipdrive must not be from here.
Tone down the hate.

Posted by sirgrumpy1 on August 20, 2008 at 8:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This only proves to me one more thing about the youth of today that have NOT had the proper home training. What were these thugs doing out at these times on school property anyways; if not up to no good???? Come on people wake up....our community is being attacked from within. I believe it was the comic character POGO that said, "I have seen the enemy and he looks a lot like us..." We need to take back our community from these thugs, these want to bes, these the lost.

Posted by JayWalton on August 20, 2008 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Lets think about the possibilities of what he was doing or about to do on the roof at 11pm.

*Just enjoying some "ME TIME"? (slip drive)
*Smoking weed?
*Drinking Alcohol?
*Huffing A/C Freon? (allot of unit are rooftop)
*Looking for a entry point to the school?
*Scouting a good sniper location for a school shooting? (never say "it won’t happen here")
*Getting a head start on astronomy class?
*Smoking Weed?
*Shooting the next edition of "Female Pigeons Gone Wild"? $19.99 on DVD
*Waiting on a girl who chickened out?
*Waiting on a guy who chickened out?
*Smoking Weed?
*Shooting a youtube video called "poopin on top of the dog house"?

This list could go on and on, but point being. He had no business being there. He was found there. He was charged with an applicable law. He has not gone to court and been convicted. Just charged., The DA may look at what he was or was not doing and decide to drop the case. But the DA's daughter did just graduate from Wylie so he might be up poop creek!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by GaryBuseysBartender on August 20, 2008 at 11:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Jay Walton, you missed another possibility of what he may have been doing there. How about stealing copper from the A/C unit? By the way, did you mention smoking weed?

Posted by hardtohandle69 on August 20, 2008 at 11:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree w/ slip. You go man! The kid did nothing.

And to whomever mentioned the band equiptment being in that school I'm sure AISD appreciates that. Now all of Abilenes druggies can go hit that up! : )

Posted by ebtry on August 20, 2008 at 11:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hard...

One would think the band outside practicing each day would have alerted the wannabe thugs, punks and felons. You really think they read this thing?

Posted by localnewsguy on August 21, 2008 at 12:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The only facts contained in this police report are:

About 11 p.m. Tuesday, Officer Shawn Montgomery was dispatched to a suspicious person call at Wylie High School. Officer Montgomery contacted a 17-year-old white male who was on top of the building. The subject was arrested for criminal trespass, and the investigation continues.

Later, at about 12:54 a.m. today, Officer Boyd Burns was dispatched to a criminal mischief/possible burglary call at Franklin Middle School. Witnesses saw a subject breaking windows at the school. Officer Burns contacted the suspect, a 15-year-old Hispanic male, and the suspect was arrested for criminal Mischief. That investigation continues.

Most of the posted comments are nothing more than conjecture or assumptions as to what the involved subjects may or may not have been doing.

Based on the limited facts provided to us, the readers, how are we to know if either of these young men are known to the cops or have prior records...maybe they've been caught doing illegal acts and have already been given warnings. We don't know. What if there were 20 other people on the roof, but only that one person was arrested? After all, the statement doesn't say "only one person was contacted;" it just says a 17-year-old white male was contacted. And how do we know either of the arrested males didn't struggle with the officers, try to run, or were intoxicated? We don't know. One person complained about drug deals taking place in their neighborhood, while "Abilene's finest" were busting kids on rooftops. Did that person call the police to report illegal drug activity? APD (and every law enforcement agency) responds to every call for service. And APD operates on many levels; even in a smaller city like Abilene, there are undercover narcotics officers on the street everyday. And how do we know drugs weren't involved in either of the two mentioned arrests? There's not enough information provided to allow us to come to a logical, fact-based conclusion.

I'm a member of the local news media, though not AR-N, and I feel public discussion is vital to protecting our freedoms as Americans. But I also feel that sometimes we tend to draw conclusions without knowing all of the facts. These young men were not the only two people arrested that night. The arrest reports of APD, Taylor County SO, and every other agency are public record. Among the most common daily arrests are DWI and possession of narcotics, many times with the intent to sell. Kids breaking windows or walking on rooftops are much more rare.

Posted by fred_face on August 21, 2008 at 1:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There is always the chance the boy was up there contemplating suicide..I have read stories of kids thowing themselves off school roofs as the school represents everything, or most things, they hate about life at the time..The thought of being a senior with so much pressure...is daunting..He has been arrested but the investigation continues..Either way the APD were right to stop this young man..What ever his reasons..he should not have been up there..

Posted by blahblah on August 21, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

hard---What do you mean the kid did nothing??? He broke the law. Maybe he didn't vandalize anything---(yet) but he was trespassing. For the most part, any kid out that late trespassing on private property is up to no good and you can't convince me otherwise.

And fred has a point. No matter what he was doing there, APD did the right thing.

Set an example. If they would have just let him go on home, word would have gotten around and other kids would do God knows what just because the first one got away with it.

Posted by blahblah on August 21, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

By the way...The Merkel High School was vandalized the other day.

But wait---

Maybe it was just a kid sitting on top of the school enjoying the scenery and he got bored.

NOT!!!

Posted by whatuthink on August 21, 2008 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

abileneres- I think most parents do care where their kids are and what they are doing. There are a lot of kids in this town so if what you say about most parents was true then we would see a lot more of these incidents. Wanting a 17 year old to stay in lock up until he is 21 because he was caught on a roof is ridiculous.

Posted by blahblah on August 21, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My...how the tables have turned!!! Some people on here are talking about how the parents should have known where thier 17 year old was...

But...

It wasn't too long ago that a 17 year old High School student had sexual affairs with a 20 something year old teacher and most were saying, "He is 17. That is an adult, even though he lives at home".

Just seems funny how some people will flip-flop according to the situation.

The 15 year old's parents should definately keep better watch of what their child is doing tho...

Posted by mbs0606 on August 21, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

His parents were probably the ones to drop him off at the school... "Have fun Honey, be back home by 5 AM."

Posted by wildturkey on August 21, 2008 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I predict both will get off on account that neither of the schools had signs posted warning them not to do specifically what they were doing.

Posted by ebtry on August 21, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

localnewsguy sez..."But I also feel that sometimes we tend to draw conclusions without knowing all of the facts"

All the facts... Something us readers have been deprived of while reading these articles for years!

Posted by wagamama on August 21, 2008 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

dolphin, gymnastics and Coop, huh?? I think I know who you're referring to... did he gradusate in '79??
I LOL reading your post!

Posted by JayWalton on August 21, 2008 at 10:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There must have been "no trespassing" signs or he refused to leave after being advised to, if the law was applied correctly.

from Texas Penal Code.

§ 30.05. CRIMINAL TRESPASS. (a) A person commits an
offense if he enters or remains on or in property, including an
aircraft or other vehicle, of another without effective consent or
he enters or remains in a building of another without effective
consent and he:
(1) had notice that the entry was forbidden; or
(2) received notice to depart but failed to do so.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Entry" means the intrusion of the entire body.

Posted by wildturkey on August 22, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I was being sarcastic in my previous post...kinda like suing for getting burned from coffee. You know coffee is hot, but no one told you or it wasn't printed telling you so.

Posted by geralddugan on August 22, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you peepl dont seem understan he wasnt doin nothin illegal sittin on roof of public buildng
all you idea about what he culd be doin can be wrong
you cant set foot out in ally with out bein hassel aroun abileen