Accused Gunman Brendan O’Rourke at Vista Courthouse

The man accused of shooting two children at a Carlsbad elementary school three months ago was at the Vista Courthouse today, January 18.

Lysette Cox testified that she “was working on the blacktop at Kelly Elementary School” just after noon on October 8, 2010, when she heard a “popping noise.” The petite woman described running toward a man who was chasing two little girls with an object in his hand.

“At the time they were running from him, zigzagging,” she said. Cox identified defendant Brendan O’Rourke as the stranger whom she cursed and demanded to know why he was scaring the children.

“He came towards me,” she testified, and he was a little more than one arm’s length away when he pointed something at her and then she heard the click. She said when he pointed it at her chest, she was able to determine that it was a gun he was holding. Cox said she yelled at the children to run, and she was able to gather 70 children into one classroom.

Today’s proceeding was termed a “conditional exam” by the judge because Cox is leaving the country; she told the court that she is moving to England in six days. A person with the prosecutor’s office videotaped her testimony for possible use in future court proceedings.

Brendan Liam O'Rourke is next scheduled to be in court on March 7 for a preliminary hearing.