How many coincidences?: In Fayetteville, Ark., on New Year’s Day, police caught two young men driving a 1991 Ford Econoline van, weaving, with possession of marijuana and a loaded gun. Turns out one of them was the architect of the 1998 Jonesboro school shootings — and the other shot his father with a crossbow in 1999. What’s the likelihood that they’re roommates now?! More in the News You Can’t Make Up category. From the AP:

One of two boys convicted in the 1998 Jonesboro school shootings was found with a loaded gun and marijuana on New Year’s Day, along with his roommate, a man incarcerated for three years as a teen for killing his father with a crossbow.

Mitchell Johnson, now 22, was 13 when he and classmate Andrew Golden killed four girls and a teacher in a March 24, 1998, shooting at Jonesboro Westside Middle School. Justin Trammell was 15 when convicted of killing his father in 1999.

Trammell was driving Johnson’s 1991 Ford Econoline van a few blocks from their residence at the Appleby Apartments, 2918 N. Gregg St. in Fayetteville, when a sheriff’s officer noticed it weaving about 8 p.m. New Year’s Day. Washington County Deputy Jak Kimball said Cpl. Steven Hulsey smelled marijuana and asked to search the van.

[…]

Brent Davis, who prosecuted the 1998 case against Johnson and Golden, said the fact Johnson has a clean criminal record shows the law was “woefully inadequate” when dealing with juveniles who commit brutal crimes.

“It’s not like he’s on parole or probation or any restrictions, as odd as it seems, in light of what he’s previously been involved in,” Davis said.

Mitchell’s arrest and “the fact that his past is not considered is just another example of the inadequacy of the law that we had to deal with,” Davis said.

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