Teen Starbucks Bomber Described As "Nice," "Friendly"

Little alleged anarchist Kyle Shaw, who was arrested yesterday for bombing an Upper East SIde Starbucks in May, is being held on $100,000 cash bail or $300,000 bond. According to the Daily News, the 17-year-old's father "said the high bail was just a way to keep his son in jail" but prosecutors point out someone could have been injured by the crude bomb, though no one was. Shaw's friends tipped off the cops, worried that he would strike again. A teen neighbor of Shaw's told the News that Shaw pulled a hunting knife on him and claimed responsibility for the bomb, "I didn't believe him. He was always bragging," and added that Shaw bought sunglasses similar to the ones Brad Pitt wore as Tyler Durden in Fight Club off eBay. Another friend and former classmate told the Times, "I would never paint him in that way, as a domestic terrorist or anything. He never gave an inkling that he was into that. He is very funny. Very outgoing. Friendly with mostly everybody," but admitted that Shaw really loved Fight Club: "He saw the movie and he read the book. He wanted to watch the movie in our English class in the 11th grade. We were discussing existentialism in class, and he suggested we watch the movie as an example. We ended up watching ‘I Heart Huckabees.'"

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By Jen Chung in News on July 16, 2009 4:33 PM

Comments [rss]

so1337

His friends broke the rules of project Mayhem.

YOU DO NOT SPEAK ABOUT PROJECT MAYHEM

NannyState

Big House Bonus: His fellow inmates at Rikers can vote him Valedictorian.

freddynyc

Now I would think that big greasy black guys in the big house might have a predilection for little young white dudes. I guess this grisly fate will rest on whether he is tried as an adult...

billybob

@ Adam, is bombing a starbucks "doing shit"? How about blowing up a bus?

Dirk

He's lucky he can't be sent to Gitmo anymore.

bklynbagel

it might've been stupid but atleast kids are still doing shit rather than sitting back and conforming. had someone been hurt then i'd be saying otherwise.

americaonline

High bail to keep him in jail? No shit?

Atleast he didn't kill any kittens.

jaycjay

Well, bail isn't supposed to be "to keep him in jail." It's supposed to be a guarantee that the suspect will appear at trial. If he's thought to be a threat, there should be no offer of bail at all.

slecca

his name is Kyle Shaw

his name is Kyle Shaw

his name is K...

billybob

the little turd is in deep shit

nicemarmot

What a little turd. Seriously, is there anything lamer than teenagers who copy movies and yet somehow totally miss the movie's message?

inoyourider

Existentialism in 11th grade?

I guess I went to a shitty school and never knew it.

Fuck'em its a bomb.

jaycjay

"said the high bail was just a way to keep his son in jail"

Reportedly the friends who turned him in reported that he'd said he was going to set off another bomb and then leave town. When a suspect has already said that he plans to flee he'll likely see a high bail.