Minnesota Teen Who Planned Family, School Massacre Had 180-Page Attack Plan
The Minnesota teenager arrested last week on serious suspicion that he had the means and was planning to murder his family before carrying out a school massacre had a 180-page-long attack plan, officials said.
The 17-year-old male, who hasn't been named, had been allegedly planning on killing his mother, father and sister in Waseca, before bombing and shooting "as many students as he could" at Waseca Junior and Senior High School. Authorities believe he would have carried out the attack in the next few weeks, before police were tipped off by a resident who reported a suspicious person at a self-storage facility last week, which led to his arrest.
Now, court documents have revealed that the teen had an elaborate, 180-page journal that outlined his plan for attack, The Associated Press shared on Sunday. The teenager apparently wrote down his research on chemicals, shrapnel and blast radiuses, as well as detonators and other materials he planned to use that would "provide the most flash, fire capability, and would cause the most deaths."
The plans also revealed his intention to get a job so that he could buy the supplies, opening a PayPal account to purchase items online, and renting a storage unit and stealing weapons.
Police said that they found a large quantity of guns, bombs and other materials in his possession after they were tipped off from the resident.
"The bomb squad members were shocked by the amount of bomb making chemicals and components (the teen) had," court documents say. "Bomb squad members said they have never seen that much of some of those chemicals in one place."
The teen, who admitted his plans after being taken into custody, is charged with four counts of attempted first-degree murder, six counts of possessing explosive or incendiary devices, and two counts of criminal damage to property.
"This case is a classic example of citizens doing the right thing in calling the police when things seem out of place. By doing the right thing, (an) unimaginable tragedy has been prevented," Capt. Kris Markeson told reporters last week.
Students did not have classes at Waseca Junior and Senior High School on Friday after news of the plot broke out, which was a planned staff training day.
"I think there's a range of emotions right now. We're all disturbed," said school Superintendent Thomas Lee. He shared of some of his questions he and school officials have: "'Should we have seen this coming? Did we miss something?' to 'Wow, I really like this kid,' … to 'Wow, this could have actually happened in our school and our town.'"
The 11th grader is currently being held at a juvenile prison in Red Wing, and his next court date is set for May 12.
