SYRACUSE, UTAH, FEB. 4 -- A teenage boy tried to take a cafeteria full of fellow students hostage today, firing several shots into the ceiling with a handgun before being wrestled down by police.

Students at Syracuse Junior High said the 14-year-old gunman had said all morning that he had a "surprise" for them.

Near the end of a noon lunch break, the boy leaped onto the cafeteria's stage and fired a shot into the ceiling from a .22-caliber pistol.

Some of the more than 100 students in the cafeteria fled, but others were caught when the boy fired several more shots in the air and ordered them away from exits.

"Everybody thought the gun was a fake," said Carter Vaughn, 14. "He was saying, You think I'm kidding,' then he fired the first shot."

Police persuaded the boy to let all the girls go and all but about 20 boys.

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When the boy demanded a car, Police Chief Brian Wallace offered to take the boy wherever he wanted to go in his cruiser as SWAT team members set up outside.

The boy took two hostages, left the building about 12:30 p.m. and walked toward a police car, but became distracted by one of his captives, giving a deputy the opportunity to rush him.

Police tossed a percussion grenade, a device that stuns its victims with bright light and noise. The boy's gun fired during a brief struggle, but no one was hit.

Neither school officials nor police would identify the suspect because of his age.

Jason Howell, 14, said the boy hinted that he was going to do something.

"He told a whole bunch of kids in class, I have a surprise for you,' " Howell said. "He said he was having problems at home."

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