On Tuesday, the mother of Grant Acord, the teenager charged with planning to bomb an Albany high school, blamed a controversial form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. 
 
 "My heart goes out to everyone affected by Grant's struggle with PANDAS, a rare form of OCD," she said in a statement released by her lawyer. 
 
 PANDAS, or Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections, refers to the hypothesis that an infection can cause severe and sudden-onset OCD and tic disorders in kids. 
 
 Dr. Thomas Koch, head of the pediatric neurology division at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, has tracked PANDAS since it was theorized in 1994. PANDAS has been linked to aggressive behavior in some cases, but whether that means violence is unclear, said Koch: "There is a significant amount of controversy over PANDAS and what it is, and does it truly exist as a unique entity." 
 
 The condition was recently redefined to account for disagreements, he said, adding that parents seeking to explain their child's symptoms often settle on PANDAS after searching the web. Koch said an in-depth mental health evaluation is needed. 
 
 Jenne Henderson, a Portland child psychologist who's treated several kids with PANDAS, said that in her experience OCD typically involves obsession with thoughts, not action. She said a thought of killing people using bombs would typically lead to obsessively feeling anxiety about it, but is unlikely to lead to building bombs. 
 
 
 
 -- Nick Budnick 
 
 
 
 
 
 ||||| CORVALLIS – Under one of Grant Acord's alleged plans to attack West Albany High School, the 17-year-old junior envisioned walking to a school entrance with music blaring on his car stereo and a napalm firebomb in hand, court documents allege. 
 
 He would then throw the bomb, unzip a duffel bag, then begin shooting, the probable cause affidavit states, while announcing in a cool tone that "the Russian grim reaper is here." 
 
 The alleged plan, one of several versions outlined in handwritten journals, was revealed in a three-page affidavit released Tuesday afternoon, just after Acord was arraigned by video in Benton County Circuit Court. 
 
 Acord, arrested last Thursday, faces one count of attempted aggravated murder, six counts of unlawful manufacture of a destructive device, six counts of possession of a destructive device and six counts of unlawful use of a weapon. Although Acord is a juvenile, prosecutors are charging him as an adult. 
 
 Acord did not enter a plea. A judge granted Benton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer's request for bail of $2 million with additional conditions – including an order to not contact West Albany High School – if Acord does make bail. 
 
 The investigation began on May 23 after a West Albany High School student, identified by KATU (2) as Truman Templeton, a 17-year-old junior, provided information that led Albany Police to suspect that Acord was making threats to build a bomb with plans to blow up the school. 
 
 Police were told that Acord had been seen with ammunition, a machete, and fuel-filled glass bottles that can be ignited, also known as Molotov cocktails. 
 
 Police obtained a warrant and searched the North Albany home where Acord lives with his mother, Marianne Fox. There, they found a hidden compartment in his bedroom floor that contained several handwritten journals, two pipe bombs loaded with gunpowder, two Molotov cocktails and at least two bombs made with Drano, the court documents state. 
 
 Notebooks retrieved from the compartment included several plans and diagrams about the "mass murder" that he allegedly was plotting for West Albany, according to the affidavit. In one plan, Acord wrote that he would attend his first-period class, detailed how he would park his car, and strategized which doorway he would enter. The plan, according to the affidavit, calls for him to "shoot and throw bombs throughout the school. Kill myself before S.W.A.T. engages me." 
 
 He also allegedly compared himself to Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two shooters in the Columbine High School mass shootings in April 1999, which killed 12 students and one teacher. The affidavit states that Acord had printed out pages including information about the weapons and gear that the Columbine killers used. 
 
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 She said her "heart goes out to everyone affected," by her son's struggle with the illness. "I grieve for my son, but understand and support the efforts of law enforcement to keep our beloved community safe." 
 
 Troy Fox, Marianne Fox's ex-husband, lived with Acord when he was 12 to 15 years old, saying he was "a good kid" who enjoyed camping and playing video games, including Guitar Hero and Medal of Honor, a popular weapon-based combat game. 
 
 "He's not a monster," Troy Fox said. "He's just a kid. He's inquisitive, adventurous, has a different view on life. He's just a kid who made a big mistake." 
 
 Troy Fox said he worried a bit that Acord would be bullied at North Albany Middle School. The boy was quiet and small for his age. But Acord never complained about being pushed around at school. He was also getting aggressive treatment, including therapy and medication for his obsessive-compulsive disorder, Fox said. 
 
 "I don't know what happened, he said, adding that Marianne Fox "is a great mom. She cares a lot and she tries as hard as she can." Acord alternated his time between his mom's house and his dad's house, Troy Fox said. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Marianne Fox had been looking for an insurance carrier who could pay for more expensive treatment for her son when he was arrested, said Beth Maloney, a Maine author who has written about her son's struggle with PANDAS and has talked with Fox about her situation since 2011. 
 
 "She called me Sunday morning devastated because this had happened," Maloney said. "She hadn't been able to find the appropriate treatment in all this time. It's like any disease. If you have cancer and you don't treat it, it's going to get worse." 
 
 About two weeks ago, Acord suddenly brought up bombs in a conversation, said Thomas Stone, a junior at West Albany High School. He came up to a group of students in a cooking class and asked if they were talking about bombs, said Stone. 
 
 "He just went off on the different materials you need to make a pipe bomb," said Stone, 17. "We gave him a funny look and said 'no,'" 
 
 Stone said the students walked away. 
 
 That was one of the few interactions that Stone had had with his classmate, who largely kept to himself. 
 
 " I didn't think much of it," Stone said. "To me there weren't any real warning signs that he was going to blow up the school. It was just a casual conversation." 
 
 Students streamed into West Albany High School on Tuesday, their first day back since the arrest. Meredith Gates, 18 and a senior, said the atmosphere was uneasy at first. 
 
 "It was apprehensive, but the school did a good job of making us feel safe," Gates said. 
 
 Principal Susie Orsborn reassured students in an address over the school's intercom that the school had been swept by police for bombs and that nothing was found. An Albany policeman also spoke. 
 
 "After that everything was normal," Gates said. "But everyone was talking about Grant." 
 
 -- Helen Jung and Lynne Terry 
 
 -- Noelle Crombie contributed to this report 
 
 Acord.Redacted.pdf 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

– Grant Acord detailed his alleged plot to blow up his Oregon high school in handwritten journals, and the plans were revealed in an affidavit released yesterday. In one, the 17-year-old envisions arriving at the school with loud music blasting from his car. As he threw a napalm firebomb and then started shooting, he planned to announce, "The Russian grim reaper is here," according to the document. In another, Acord wrote that he would "kill myself before SWAT engages me." There's also a list of "Items I'll Take," which includes not just weapons but things like a hammer and sickle baseball cap and a skull and crossbones belt buckle. The journals also reportedly compare Acord to the Columbine High School shooters, the Oregonian reports; authorities say Acord printed out pages of information about the weapons they used. Acord's mom, Marianne Fox, says he suffers from Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections or PANDAS, a mental illness. According to an author who had written about PANDAS and had spoken with Fox, she was attempting to find a way to get more expensive treatment for Acord. The teen's former stepdad says Acord was also getting therapy and treatment for OCD. (In a statement, Fox called PANDAS "a rare form of OCD," and the Oregonian notes that quite a bit of controversy surrounds the condition.)