Families' horror after school shooter's sick final act in court

Lane wore a horrifying shirt in court (Image: WEWS)

A 17-year-old boy walked into a high school and fired 10 rounds at a group of students, killing three teenagers in a crime that left America reeling.

However, the torment for the families of Thomas "TJ" Lane's victims didn't end there as their murderer then committed a shocking act during his trial. Known as a quiet and reserved boy, very little was known about Lane's tumultuous home life by his Ohio peers.

He then murdered Demetrius Hewlin, 16; Daniel Parmertor, 16; and Russell King Jr. , 17, according to ABC News. Using a 22-calibre gun, Lane fired ten rounds at the students, killing three and injuring three others, which resulted in him being handed three life sentences on 17 February 2012.

Lane's victims included 16 year old Daniel Parmertor, 17 year old Russell King Jr, and 16 year old Demetrius Hewlin. Eyewitnesses to the horrific event claimed that Lane had a fierce rivalry with Russell King Jr. They even suggested that when he began shooting, he was specifically targeting this student and that Russell was one of the first to be shot at the table, reports the Mirror.

Lane shot at a table of students (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Lane further traumatised the community when he unbuttoned his blue shirt at trial to reveal "KILLER" emblazoned across the front, a chilling echo of his attire during his shooting spree. After confessing to his crime, he was imprisoned at Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima, but shockingly managed to escape - sparking an intense manhunt that recaptured him six hours later.

Teresa Hunt, whose niece shared a bus ride with Lane every morning, told CNN: "He was a really nice kid to her. He wouldn't start up a conversation, but if she talked to him, he would hold the conversation with her."

Haley Kovacik, a friend of Lane's, expressed that the killings were a "complete shock" to their circle of friends. "He seemed like a very normal, just teenage boy," Kovacik said.

"He did have a sad look in his eyes a lot of the time, but he talked normally, he never said anything strange." She revealed that he seldom spoke about his family, saying "I've asked him once or twice, but he never would go into detail. He just said he had family trouble."

Both of his parents were on police records for domestic violence (Image: Lima Police)

However, Lane's troubled and secretive family background provides crucial context for understanding the trauma he endured. Lane resided with his grandparents and had connections at Chardon High School, though he actually attended Lake Academy Alternative School in Willoughby.

Lake Academy caters specifically for "at risk" pupils who are "reluctant learners" grappling with challenges including "substance abuse /chemical dependency, anger issues, mental health issues, truancy, delinquency, difficulties with attention/organization, and academic deficiencies."

Cleveland's Plain Dealer newspaper revealed that Lane's father, Thomas Lane Jr. , had multiple arrests for violent offences against women in his life, including Lane's mother.

From 1995, the year of Lane's birth, through to 1997, both his parents faced arrest for domestic violence against one another, whilst his father was imprisoned for assaulting a police officer and faced charges for holding a woman under running water and bashing her head against a wall. In a Facebook post dated 30 December 2011, Lane wrote of "a quaint lonely town, (where there) sits a man with a frown (who) longed for only one thing, the world to bow at his feet."

Lane penned: "He was better than the rest, all those ones he detests, within their castles, so vain...the castle ... like an ominous breeze through the trees," past guards – all culminating in the post's dramatic finale.

"Feel death, not just mocking you. Not just stalking you but inside of you," he writes. "Wriggle and writhe. Feel smaller beneath my might. Seizure in the Pestilence that is my scythe. Die, all of you."

Prior to the sentencing, he hurled abuse at the victims' families, declaring, "F- all of you," whilst brandishing his middle finger. "For everyone in that courtroom – the victims, their families, the prosecutors, defence – everyone in that courtroom was just absolutely taken aback," recounted Ian Friedman, who represented him at his trial.

Prosecutor James Flaiz revealed that Lane never provided a reason for his actions. "The only explanation I can offer the court is he is an evil person," Flaiz stated.

During the 18 months Lane was detained at the Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution, he urinated on a wall, tattooed himself and refused to complete his tasks before he climbed a fence and escaped from the facility. When police apprehended him, Lane offered no explanation.

In March 2016, Lane was moved to the maximum security prison Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, where it is believed he remains incarcerated.