Boston Policeman’s Son Arrested for Allegedly Planning School Shooting

Alexander Ciccolo was allegedly planning to use pressure cooker bombs and guns to commit a terrorist act at a Boston university.

A Massachusetts man was arrested July 13 after police say he planned and was preparing to commit terrorist acts.

Alexander Ciccolo, son of veteran Boston Police Captain Robert Ciccolo, was arrested on charges of being a felon in possession of firearms, but his affidavit shows police think his plan was potentially catastrophic.

Ciccolo had four guns delivered to him on July 4 and allegedly told several cooperating witnesses that he planned to commit a terrorist act with those weapons and homemade explosive devices, according to kron4.com. Ciccolo had allegedly gravitated toward Islamic extremism and initially planned to attack a police station and two bars before deciding instead to attack a college cafeteria.

Although Williams College is just ten miles away from Ciccolo’s home, the school’s Campus Safety Director says it was not a target and authorities have maintained Ciccolo’s target was outside of Massachusetts.

U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz says Ciccolo was going to use pressure cooker bombs with the guns, which included a Colt AR-15 .223 caliber rifle, a SigArms Model SG550-1 rifle, a Glock 17-9mm pistol and a Glock 20-10mm pistol, in an ISIS inspired attack before the end of the month. Police also found several Molotov cocktails when they searched his apartment. Ciccolo reportedly told a witness he wasn’t going to hurt any Muslim students in the school shooting.

Ciccolo also reportedly stabbed a nurse with a pen during a medical screening at the Franklin County House of Correction in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Ciccolo’s father Robert was one of the first responders during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The Ciccolo family released a statement saying they were happy no one was hurt and asking for privacy.

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