Jury Selection Underway for Kelly School Shooting Trial

Jury selection got under way in earnest Tuesday for the trial of a man accused of opening fire at a Carlsbad elementary school, wounding two girls, during lunch recess.

Brendan Liam O'Rourke, 42, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to seven felony counts each of premeditated attempted murder and assault with a
firearm in the Oct. 8, 2010, shooting at Kelly Elementary School.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to 103 years to life in prison.

Opening statements in the guilt phase of O'Rourke's trial could happen later this week or early next week. If convicted, a second phase of the trial would follow, in which jurors would be asked to determine if the defendant was insane at the time of the shooting.

Authorities allege O'Rourke jumped a fence at the school just after noon, carrying a .357 Ruger six-shot revolver, a speed re-loader, extra ammunition, a propane tank, gas can and matches.

He then allegedly fired at least six shots in the direction of children and entered the campus with a plan to kill as many youngsters as he could.

A nearby construction worker who pursued O'Rourke and ultimately helped
take him down testified at an earlier hearing that the gunman appeared "crazy" and had a "disconnected" look on his face during the rampage.

The two girls wounded in the rampage were each shot in an arm.

–City News Service