COTTONWOOD, Calif. — A shooting plot against a Northern California middle school was unveiled by a gamer thousands of miles away in Tennessee.
Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain said the unidentified teen was participating in an online gaming chat when he overheard two other teens discussing plans for a mass casualty event at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, ABC 7 reports. The 14- and 15-year-old suspects, who are students at Evergreen Institute of Excellence (EIE), a charter school within the Evergreen Union School District, reportedly discussed a manifesto in which they were “hopeful” to kill more than 100 people, including one set of their parents. One of the suspects also took a photo of themselves mimicking the shooters in the Columbine High School massacre.
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The Tennessee teen reported the threat to the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies searched the suspects’ homes on May 11 where they found guns and two homemade explosive devices the teens had allegedly built and tested “in preparation to use in the attack on the school.”
Both suspects were taken into custody and booked into the Tehama County juvenile detention center. They have been charged with making criminal threats, possession and manufacturing of a destructive device, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
“I’d like to celebrate this particular young man out of Tennessee — this young hero — who had the courage and heroic instincts to call our agency and notify us in order to mitigate any possible threat to our citizens and particularly our young people,” Kain praised. “We are continuing an investigation as to any parental knowledge and what may have taken place there and if there’s any criminal repercussions that may be served with the parents in this particular case.”
The teens planned to carry out the attack on May 9 but aborted the plan after one of the boys backed out, Kain added, noting bullying may have been one of the motives behind the plan.
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“As we gain a deeper understanding of the suspects’ motives, intentions, and methods—including why one juvenile may have chosen to disengage from the plan—we will begin a comprehensive review and reflection process,” said Evergreen USD Superintendent Brad Mendenhall. “This disturbing event has deeply impacted our school community. It is a solemn reminder of the importance of vigilance and communication. However, it also highlights the power of proactive intervention and the strength of a community that stands together.”
The suspects are expected back in court on May 20.
