Teen accused of carrying rifle near Waukesha school appears in court

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The teenager arrested after being spotted near a Waukesha high school with a rifle, was in court for the first time Wednesday afternoon.

Asahel Ali, 18, faces three felony counts and one misdemeanor including: second-degree recklessly endangering the safety (felony), bail jumping (felony), resisting an officer causing soft tissue injury (felony), and negligent handling of a weapon (misdemeanor).

"You can imagine the terror that all of those students had," said Waukesha Co. Judge Daniel J. Rieck upon hearing the criminal complaint.

Police stated that on April 14 at around 12:30 p.m., a couple of students informed a North High School resource officer they saw a suspicious man carrying a rifle in a nearby backyard in the 200 block of Greenmeadow Drive.

"Wearing a pillowcase over his head with the eyes cut out holding a rifle," said Abbey Nickolie, an attorney for the state of Wisconsin.

Officials said that out of precaution, North High School, Butler Middle School and Lowell Elementary School were placed on lockdown.

"It caused all of those students at those schools to be in fear and a total disruption of the education day," added Nickolie in court.

Police quickly found then-17-year-old Asahel Ali in his house. They said he had previously tried to enter North High School just a month prior to the incident.

The law intern representing Ali on behalf of the public defender's office however, said that the allegations in the criminal complaint sounded a bit exaggerated.

"Even though the Waukesha community might've been put on edge, I don't think it's quite as aggravated as the community initially thought," said Patrick Sicula.

The criminal complaint states that the Stribog SP9A1 9mm carbine rifle recovered belongs to Ali's father.

Authorities later found a bullet hole they believe was fired from inside Ali's living room -- hitting the neighbor's garage door.

Judge Rieck ordered Ali on a $250,000 cash bond, along with no contact with any schools nor witnesses, and he may not be in possession of any weapons.

Ali faces up to 31 years in prison and up to a $55,000 fine. He is scheduled to be back in court on May 31.