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Planned 'Columbine-Style' Attack Averted: Student Arrested
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ShareOctober 11, 2007 2:42 PM
A 14-year-old boy was arrested in a leafy suburb of Philadelphia Thursday for allegedly planning what prosecutors say he called a "Columbine-style" incident which was stopped even as he was recruiting others to participate with him .
The youth was turned in by a student in Plymouth Township who reported the suspect's intentions to police Wednesday around 7 p.m., law enforcement officials said. Before midnight, the suspect was in custody and his arsenal seized, the officials said.
A senior law enforcement official said the suspect admitted to authorities Columbine was his inspiration and its perpetrators his heroes. He had a video depicting the incident in his possession when authorities searched his home.
Authorities described him as relatively short, extremely overweight and with significant emotional and psychological problems. The youth reportedly operated a Web site filled with images of weaponry and violence, sources said.
Violence was averted, according to Montgomery County Prosecutor Bruce Castor, because the school district's early warning system system and its relationship with police, which in the past had been in disrepair, worked perfectly this time.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
"The police and the school district are finally on the same page," Castor told ABC News. In recent months, a series of meetings had been held to ensure that if there were potential for a violent incident, authorities would be notified. The school and police would then broadcast that message to students.
"We told them, 'If you hear of something in the works, you come to us,' and that is exactly what happened," Castor said.
The Montgomery County prosecutor's office is no stranger to high-profile cases or violent incidents. In the past, it investigated a series of allegations of sexual assault against comedian Bill Cosby and a number of sensational child abuse and murder cases. No criminal charges were filed against Cosby because Castor found there was "insufficient credible and admissible evidence" to support the accuser's claims.
Castor said that because the youth was in the recruiting phase and because he did not have any ammunition for his weapons, it was unlikely an attack was imminent.
The youth had been removed from school about 18 months ago reportedly because he had been bullied, and his parents were homeschooling him. He went back to his former schoolmates in an effort to recruit one or more of them to join him in his Columbine-type assault, officials said.
The school targeted, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, conducted classes as usual Thursday, officials said.
The student, whose identity is not being disclosed because of his age, is currently charged as a juvenile, but, Castor said, he may seek to charge him as an adult and will make that decision later this week.
A search of the youth's home had turned up a small arsenal, including a 9mm semi-automatic handgun with a laser sight, 30 air-powered weapons, a live-hand grenade, bomb-making instructions and two inert hand grenades that he apparently intended to convert to live ones as well as notebooks outlining his plans, authorities said. The youth's mother reportedly purchased at least some of those weapons, authorities noted. The purchases were legal, but authorities are contemplating charging her in connection with the youth's plans.
Among other items seized were the "Anarchist's Cook Book" and a U.S. Army's counterinsurgency operation handbook. Also taken were about a half-dozen DVDs, including one entitled "Game Over in Littleton," where Columbine High School is located.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
October 11, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (129)
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What is with the picture? Does it have anytning to do with the kid? It makes you think that this is the arsenal the kid owns. According to the blog post, the only dangerous weapon he had was a 9mm. Just another form of media propaganda.
Posted by: jp | Oct 11, 2007 3:18:41 PM
The boy was only 14, his parents especially his mother who purchased the weapons should be held fully liable. What kind of parent would purchase a semi-automatic for their 14 year old boy as a Christmas present? The boy needs to be psychologically evaluated and released into the foster care system, and paired with caring parents, away from his mother, and the judge should throw the book at the mother for raising her son to be a killer.
Posted by: RobertJ | Oct 11, 2007 3:19:07 PM
Those guns aren't real... One clearly is a BB gun and the rest have a plastic look to them. Was this kid going to shoot up a school with BB guns?
Posted by: Ryan | Oct 11, 2007 3:21:43 PM
Great job to all involved and a medal for the kid who had the courage to speak up!
Posted by: Matthew S. | Oct 11, 2007 3:23:57 PM
another fat crazy with an arsenal of air rifles. oooh i might get shot with a pellet.
Posted by: wabash | Oct 11, 2007 3:24:57 PM
Just the type of person Blackwater wants on their team !
Posted by: kenny | Oct 11, 2007 3:27:17 PM
What's wrong with our kids today!?
Posted by: David | Oct 11, 2007 3:29:47 PM
what other industrialized country could a 14 year old boy accumulate that much weaponry...it is a lesson to those who bully others...disrespect people at your own risk...if we just treated everyone with respect...people wouldn't feel the need to act out like this...
Posted by: TruthHurts | Oct 11, 2007 3:32:51 PM
What's up with the headline photo? The story said he had a 9mm handgun, grenade, and 30 air rifles. The photo you guys chose to use shows a table full of assault weapons not pellet guns what's up? Quit trying to trump things up like that shame on you.
Posted by: eric | Oct 11, 2007 3:32:52 PM
What's happening to our kids these days!?
Posted by: David | Oct 11, 2007 3:38:31 PM
Good. A future killing spree has been stopped. But DO NOT prosecute him as an adult. He did not actually go on a killing spree. In fact, I'd go so far as to say he wanted to get caught. Well now finally, and after all his hard work, he has been caught by the really smart people. OK. Now what? How about finding out what makes him so angry? Let him grow up in a good world.
Posted by: Robert H | Oct 11, 2007 3:46:40 PM
Earth to Clueless Mom: your son has been bullied at school, has emotional/psychological problems, and had such a tough time that you pulled him out of school. Might not be the best idea to buy him a freaking assault rifle! What an idiot!
Posted by: Dave J. | Oct 11, 2007 3:48:05 PM
If the mother purchased the guns for a minor, charge her too. And the Dad, if he's around too.
Posted by: John Dempsey, Mishawaka, IN | Oct 11, 2007 3:52:25 PM
A FOURTEEN year-old w/THAT kind of arsenal (even if the mother purchased them)...HOW INSANE!!! And I bet, they'll be gun-bearing advocates defending her!!! Anyway, another common thread throughout ALL these school shootings is, they've all been BULLIED...MOST parents AND schools these days DON'T BOTHER to TRULY TEACH kids about RESPECTING OTHERS (INSTEAD, they're too busy teaching them to be SELF-ABSORBED, & how BAD it is to be a "TATTLE-TALE" when someone bullies/insults you)!?!?
Posted by: mod rit | Oct 11, 2007 3:55:04 PM
The photo is dishonest. Displaying "airsoft" bb-guns as real firearms creates the idea that a large number of firearms were present. Just adds to the hysteria.
Posted by: Nobody | Oct 11, 2007 3:56:02 PM
I don't care what the gun nuts say anymore - there is something seriously wrong in our country when a 14 year old can assemble an arsenal like that. The gun lobby needs to stop hiding behind their interpretation of the 2nd Amendment and realize that they are killing America's youth.
Posted by: Granny Smith | Oct 11, 2007 4:00:25 PM
So, he had 1 9mm handgun and 30 pellet guns? I bet the 9mm is his moms, found in a separate room or gun safe and she had been buying him the bb/pellet guns or airsofts (whichever it turns out to be). That assault would have stung like the dickens, and gotten him killed by police.
Posted by: JB | Oct 11, 2007 4:02:21 PM
The air-powered weapons are toys, not part of an "arsenal".
Posted by: Herb Holloway | Oct 11, 2007 4:08:59 PM
What it all boils down to is the parents, not gun laws, parents, I had gun since I was 12 went o gun safety classes, with my FATHER. there is just no bond with familys like there was when I was a kid. my parents pass time out side of work was with family, not "Happy Hour" up at the bar with friends, but with their kids....it's sad
Posted by: Freddie | Oct 11, 2007 4:19:19 PM
WE CAN NEVER ASSUME THAT AN ATTACK IS UNLIKELY IMMINENT. I AM SUPRISED SOMEONE WOULD EVER SAY THAT!!!!! HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF FOR SAYING THAT!!!!!!! WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN IF WE SAY THAT AN ATTACK IS UNLIKELY IMMINENT. NOT TO REPORT WHAT MAY HAPPEN??
Posted by: gr8mother | Oct 11, 2007 4:24:32 PM
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