Seniors to graduate without student accused in bomb plot

By: Kelly Gillespie | SCNow
Published: June 07, 2008

Students at Chesterfield High School rehearsed Friday for graduation, but one of their seniors wasn’t there and won’t be walking with them.
Eighteen-year-old Ryan Schallenberger remains in custody at the Chesterfield County Detention Center.
The straight-A student was arrested in April and is accused of planning to bomb the school. He faces state and federal charges.
Authorities said Schallenberger’s parents turned him in after they found 20 pounds of ammonium nitrate was to be delivered to their home. A journal was also recovered, with detailed plans on a suicide bombing.
“You know, everything’s back the same, just like nothing really happened. You really don’t hear anything about Ryan anymore at school,” said Will Carter, a graduating senior.
“Some people might say Ryan, he can still get his diploma, because he already had all his credits. He was set to go and graduate and everything, but we don’t talk about him that much anymore. We really don’t,” Carter said.
But the case against Schallenberger isn’t far from the mind of 4th Circuit Solicitor Jay Hodge, who is handling the state charges against him.
“Well, I think it’s probably harder on Ryan Schallenberger who’s sitting in a prison cell at the Chesterfield County Detention Center and won’t be walking across the stage as the student with probably the third highest average at Chesterfield High School,” Hodge said.
Schallenberger was supposed to attend Clemson University in the fall and was a Newberry Scholar.
One-hundred nine students will be graduating from Chesterfield High on Saturday morning.

Seniors to graduate without student accused in bomb plot

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