Teen in Socastee High School shooting ruled competent to stand trial

A judge ruled this morning that a Socastee High School freshman charged with bringing weapons to school is competent to stand trial and will be held in state custody until a hearing next year.

A detention hearing was held this morning in Conway family court for Christian Helms, who is being held on charges he took a loaded gun and two pipe bombs to school in September. The 14-year-old has been in the custody of the state Department of Juvenile Justice since the incident.

He will be held until a hearing scheduled for Feb. 15.

The judge heard results of psychological evaluations of the teen during today’s hearing.

Christian has been in state custody since the 2 p.m. Sept. 21 incident, when police say he went to the office of Socastee High School resource officer Erik Karney with the weapons.

Karney and the teen struggled after the teen presented a gun and during the altercation the student shot at Karney, according to Horry County police. Karney was not shot, but was injured by shrapnel when the bullet hit the wall. Karney took Christian into custody and police later found two pipe bombs inside the teen’s backpack.

Horry County police charged the teen in juvenile court with attempted murder; possession, threatened or attempted use of weapon of mass destruction for act of terrorism; and possession of a destructive device.

Prosecutors said they plan to petition a family court judge to move the case to circuit court where the teen would be tried as an adult. But the teen’s attorney, Russell Long, and his parents said they will fight that motion.

In November, the teen’s parents spoke out about their son being bullied, what lead up to the incident and how they are coping. The Sun News has not previously identified them or Christian because he is charged as a juvenile in the Sept. 21 incident.

The couple said they wanted others to know what happened their son in attempt to prevent future incidents. The Helms and Long said they have documented evidence, including a video of Christian the day of the incident at the school, of the teen being bullied by bigger, older classmates.

That evidence is expected to be presented at a later hearing when a judge hears information as to why prosecutors want to charge Christian as an adult.

As a juvenile, the penalty of the charges against Christian is that the teen can be held for an indeterminate amount of time not to exceed his 21st birthday, according to prosecutors.

As an adult the penalty is up to 30 years in prison for the attempted murder charge; two to 15 years for the bomb making charge and 25 years to life in prison for the weapon of mass destruction charge, she said. But a juvenile may not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.