POLY STUDENT SHOOTS HIMSELF AFTER ARREST

LONG BEACH - A Poly High School senior who played bass in the school
orchestra took his life after being booked on marijuana possession charges,
police said Thursday.

A police officer at Poly was notified at about 2 p.m. Wednesday that a bag
of what appeared to be marijuana was visible in Andreas Wickstrom's car,
parked in a campus parking lot, said Officer Jana Blair, a police spokeswoman.

The 17-year-old student was taken to the Police Department's Youth Services
Facility when he returned to his car after school let out. He was booked
there at 3 p.m. on the marijuana charge, for showing false or altered
identification and possession of items used in smoking marijuana, she said.

His car was impounded because it could not be left on campus after hours,
she said.

"His mother was contacted and came down to pick him up. They were able to
pick up the vehicle and return home about 5 p.m.," Blair said.

Minutes later, the boy's mother heard a noise, then "found her son in the
bathroom, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the
head. A shotgun kept in the home was found beside him," Blair said.

Paramedics called to the home, in the 3900 block of Elm Avenue, pronounced
him dead at 5:11 p.m., Blair said.

Andreas' aunt, Diana Haye, said he was humiliated by his arrest.

"All he repeated to his mother on the way home ... was 'they treated me
like a common criminal,' " she said.

"He did not seem distraught when he was in custody," Blair said.

"He was nice and friendly and showed no sign of depression ," said Poly
Principal Shawn Ashley, who said he checked on the boy as he was being
arrested.

Andreas, he said, was a "bright, talented kid who, when he was focused,
would do a wonderful job."

Counselors came to Poly Thursday to talk to shocked and grieving students.