The student accused in the stabbing rampage at a Pennsylvania high school is confused and scared and did not come from a dysfunctional family, his lawyer told NBC News on Thursday.
“If there was something wrong with him, he sure hid it well,” said the lawyer, Patrick Thomassey.
The student, Alex Hribal, 16, was charged an adult with four counts of attempted homicide and 21 counts of aggravated assault after the attack Wednesday at a high school outside Pittsburgh.
Thomassey said that the weapons were steak knives from Hribal’s home.
He said that he would find a psychiatrist to evaluate Hribal. He said that the parents did not see it coming, and that they are devastated. The parents are involved with their two sons, Alex and an older brother.
"This is a nice young man," Thomassey said. "He's not a loner; he works well with other kids at school."