GREEN BAY, Wis. – Two 17-year-old boys were arrested the morning of Sept. 14 at Green Bay East High School for allegedly planning an armed attack on their school.
Authorities said they found suicide notes at the homes of both Shawn Ryan Sturtz and William Charles Cornell. The following items were also found at Cornell’s home: handmade explosives; bbs; gun powder; toilet paper tubes and firecrackers; six one-quart jars of napalm; nine long guns, including rifles and shotguns; one handgun; walkie-talkies; numerous pellet guns; hundreds of rounds of ammunition; and mannequin heads that may have been used for target practice. In total, 110 items were seized.
It is believed the suspects learned how to make bombs on the Internet.
Police Chief Craig Van Schyndle said the boys were preoccupied with death and pain, and had become such a great concern to school staff that they had no choice but to inform the police of their concerns.
Charges were not filed, but Schyndle said authorities were considering charging the two boys with conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit arson. The prosecutor also plans to try the boys as adults.