Former Peninsula Student Who Planned School Attack With Sword, Bombs, Chainsaw Ruled 'Sane'

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA - A man convicted of trying to attack his San Mateo high school with pipe bombs, a chainsaw and a samurai sword when he was 17 was ruled restored to sanity on Monday and will begin serving a 24-year prison sentence, prosecutors said today.

Alexander Youshock, 23, has been in Napa State Hospitalfor the last four years. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia by several court-appointed doctors after his attempted attack on Hillsdale High School was thwarted before anyone was injured, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

The morning of Aug. 24, 2009, Youshock went to school with a chainsaw, a 10-inch samurai sword and 10 homemade pipe bombs.

He planned to kill his former teachers and as many students as he could. He set off two pipe bombs in the hallway, but his chainsaw wouldn't start and a teacher tackled him before he injured anyone, prosecutors said.

Youshock pleaded no contest in 2011 to attempted murder and other felony charges and was sentenced to 24 years in prison to be completed after he was restored to sanity.

He was also ordered to pay $122,161 in restitution to the San Mateo Union High School District, including for repairs to the school from pipe bomb damage and teachers' salaries for the two days the school was closed after the attack.

On Monday, Judge John Grandsaert ruled that Youshock had been restored to sanity and ordered him to begin serving his prison sentence.

He received no credit for the time spent in the hospital and will not be eligible for release for about 19 years, prosecutors said.

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