By Susan Gembrowski Anne Krueger and Jill Spielvogel
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS

June 21, 2002

EL CAJON – Barry Gibson had not seen the classmate who shot him in the leg outside the boys restroom at Santana High School since March 5, 2001.

He went to the El Cajon courthouse yesterday for a glimpse of Charles "Andy" Williams, who would admit to shooting Gibson and 14 others.

"I don't hate him," said Gibson, 19. "He did what he did."

Gibson was among about two dozen people – victims, family and friends – who watched as Williams, 16, pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder charges.

Some dabbed tears from their eyes; others were stoic as Superior Court Judge Herbert Exarhos read the list of charges and each victim's name.

Williams' father, Jeff, sat with a woman across the courtroom aisle from the victims and their families. During the 30-minute hearing, he stared straight ahead, expressionless. As his son was led away, he smiled and flashed the teen-ager a thumbs up.

Williams admitted to killing Bryan Zuckor, 14, and Randy Gordon, 17, and wounding 13 others in a six-minute shooting spree.

Bryan's grandparents were in the front row. After the hearing, his grandfather, Rufino Macagba, spoke briefly with reporters.

"The events of today have reinforced our confidence in the justice system in the United States," he said.

Randy's mother, Mari Gordon-Rayborn, stayed home for her daughter's eighth-grade graduation party. She heard about the hearing too late to cancel the event.

"Sometimes between the grieving and moving forward it is a hard line to walk," Gordon-Rayborn said in a telephone interview.

She cried when she learned Williams pleaded guilty.

"It's kind of a relief we don't have to go through the trial," Gordon-Rayborn said. "It can't bring Randy back. Everyone can stop waiting for the trial and can heal a little better."

Debra Heier, whose son Matthew was shot at Santana, sobbed throughout yesterday's hearing. "It's been very painful," said her husband, John.

Scott Marshall, who spent five days in the hospital recovering from his wounds, leaned slightly forward in his seat next to his mother, Linda, as Williams responded to the judge's questions.

"There is a part of you that says, 'I don't want to deal with this anymore,' and a part that says, 'I just want to know,' " Linda Marshall said. "I was just trying to keep the tears in."

Peter Ruiz Jr., a campus supervisor, was shot three times trying to protect students. Still, it seems unreal to him all these months later. He said he is just beginning to realize he could have died in the gunfire.

"It's just the reality sinking in that my name could have been on the murder charts," Ruiz said.

Santana High Principal Karen Degischer sat next to Vice Principal Sue Emerson in the courtroom. Degischer said she was relieved that Williams pleaded guilty.

"The fact there will be no trial will help with the healing," she said. "The pain is still great for us. There is no reason for what happened. It was premeditated, and there is no excuse for this behavior."

Santana student Erik Wallingford, who was close friends with Randy Gordon, said it will be easier for the school to avoid the attention that would come with a trial. Instead, he said Williams will be sentenced, punished and "have that be the end of it." Yet, he doesn't forgive Williams.

"I want him to spend the rest of his life in jail," said Erik, who heard about the plea after his morning run. "Even if he's sorry, I want him to spend the rest of his time in jail to think about what he did."

Former student Sheena Wilson, who saw eight of her friends get shot, said she called all her close friends from high school as soon as she heard about the plea. Most had already heard from someone else.

Wilson said although she is somewhat relieved that Williams pleaded guilty, she and some friends were hoping to get answers from a trial. She still hopes Williams will eventually explain.

"I wanted to hear more about why and what led up to it," she said. "I was just there for a chapter and missed out on the rest of the book."

Mark Peacock, youth pastor at Sonrise Community Church in Santee, believes that Williams' plea will help the community heal.

"It brings some closure," Peacock said. "It always helps when someone did something wrong and they admit it."