4 accused of plotting school attack on Columbine anniversary

DUNMORE, Pa. — Four teenagers person been charged with a crippled to onslaught a Pennsylvania precocious schoolhouse successful 2024, connected the 25th day of the massacre astatine Colorado’s Columbine High School, authorities said.

A 15-year-old miss and 15-year-old lad are charged arsenic adults and 2 different teenagers look juvenile charges successful the program to onslaught Dunmore High School, extracurricular Scranton, connected April 20, 2024, authorities said. Investigators said the girl’s parent told constabulary that her girl was “obsessed with Columbine,” The Times-Tribune reported Friday.

“While the probe is ongoing, I privation to guarantee the parents, students and unit astatine Dunmore High School that we bash not judge determination is immoderate progressive menace astatine this time,” District Attorney Mark Powell said successful a statement. “We are relieved that this crippled was uncovered earlier anyone was wounded and impulse anyone who has accusation astir imaginable threats of schoolhouse unit to interaction constabulary immediately.”

A Molotov cocktail, components for bombs, writings connected however to marque bombs, and handwritten lists of guns, ammunition and tactical cogwheel implicit with prices were recovered astatine the girl’s home, investigators said successful a transgression complaint.

The Times-Tribune reported that the girl’s parent and defence lawyer Corey Eagen declined to comment, portion the different teen charged arsenic an big had nary lawyer during Friday’s arraignment. Powell declined to remark connected the juvenile charges.

The parent of 1 of the teens charged arsenic a juvenile discovered substance messages connected her child’s cellphone July 6 successful which a radical discussed plans to “shoot up the school,” investigators said successful the complaint. The teen told investigators that helium thought it was bluster until helium saw 20 to 30 Molotov cocktails nether the girl’s porch.

Dunmore schools Superintendent John Marichak told the paper helium was appalled but relieved by the arrests. A connection connected the district’s website said authorities had assured officials that determination was “no existent information to students oregon staff.”

Principal Timothy Hopkins, who was 1 of the officials targeted, said helium knows the 2 teens charged arsenic adults and described them arsenic quiescent children who weren’t troublemakers. He said helium had nary thought wherefore they would question to harm him, different than his presumption arsenic principal.

“It’s a small spot disturbing to find retired thing similar that was being plotted,” helium told the Times-Tribune.

The 2 teens charged arsenic adults were taken to the Northampton County Juvenile Justice Center pursuing their Sept. 16 arraignment connected weapons of wide destruction, terroristic threat, aggravated assault, transgression conspiracy and possession of explosive worldly charges. The miss is besides charged with risking catastrophe due to the fact that of the menace the explosive devices posed to household members and neighbors, constabulary said.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled Oct. 4.