Cops: Columbine-Style Plot Foiled In Pa.

14-Year-Old Who Felt Bullied Amassed Guns, Knives And Grenades For Possible School Attack

(CBS/AP)  A home-schooled teenager amassed a cache of guns, knives and explosive devices and tried to recruit another boy for a possible school attack, authorities said Thursday.

The 14-year-old was taken into custody after police searched his bedroom in a Philadelphia suburb Wednesday evening. He had talked about mounting a Columbine-type attack at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, authorities said.

CBS News correspondent Maggie Rodriguez reports that officials here know the young suspect's motive: He felt bullied by the students at Plymouth Whitemarsh. But the plot for revenge was foiled when the young man tried to seek out an accomplice who led police to the suspect's house and a disturbing arsenal.

The weapons included a 9 mm assault rifle that the teenager's mother had recently bought for him, Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. said. Prosecutors are reviewing her actions.

Police also found about 30 air-powered guns, swords, knives, a bomb-making book, videos of the 1999 Columbine attack in Colorado and violence-filled notebooks, Castor said. The weapons were plainly visible in the boy's bedroom, Castor said.

Also discovered were seven explosive devices Castor described as homemade grenades: plastic containers filled with BBs to which gunpowder could be added. Authorities said one grenade was operable and the others had been in the process of being assembled.

The search did not turn up any ammunition for the most dangerous firearm in the bunch, the assault rifle.

"I do not think an attack was imminent and I am not certain that an attack was going to occur at all," Castor said at a news conference. "It could have simply been big talking by a kid who thought that he was bullied previously and he was going to exact his revenge."

The teen previously attended middle school in the district but had been taught at home for more than a year after voluntarily leaving school, Castor said.

Plymouth Township police searched the home after getting a tip Wednesday from a high school student and his father.

The teen was charged as a juvenile with solicitation to commit terror and other counts and was being held at a youth facility. He was due in court for an initial appearance Friday morning.

A call to the county Public Defender's Office, which was representing the youth, rang unanswered after business hours.

Castor declined to name the suspect's parents and said he did not think they had retained lawyers.

"They are now under investigation by us, concerning whether there's any complicity in putting the weapon in this boy's hands," Castor said.

The arrest came the same day a 14-year-old in Ohio opened fire at his Cleveland high school, wounding four before killing himself.

Classes were held as usual Thursday at the Pennsylvania high school.

[slim1h2o]

If he was being "homeschooled" who was bullying him?

What does the school have to do with it? This article is leaving info out.

[hambonehd]

"The weapons found included a 9 mm assault rifle that the teenager''s mother had recently bought for him"

His mother bought for him!!! You got to be kidding me. And all the other weapons he had I suppose. Lock her *** up with him!
What in the hell is wrong with people, parents?

[jetlizhan]

slim1h20
i agree with you - this article is confusing. if he was homeschooled, none of it makes sense. who''s bullying him and who does this kid want to attack? the mom buying him an assault is unbelievable. she needs her @ss whipped AFTER she attends parenting classes.

[slim1h2o]

the mom buying him an assault is unbelievable. she needs her @ss whipped AFTER she attends parenting classes.


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Posted by jetlizhan at 03:16 PM : Oct 11, 2007
Agreed, but too, maybe some common sence is needed as well!

[toolmangler-2009]

Maybe he was being homeschooled because he couldn''t hack it in public school because of being bullied and was angry at the bullies for keeping him in pain.

AHH, its just an idea.

[oeangus]

...14 billion year old civilizations probably swim around in their own crafted eternities...

Now THAT''S perspective! Love that whispyseas :)

[xkatieee]

As a PW student, it does make sense. But not all the info is here. He was in the school district up until 8th grade, when he was homeschooled at the start of highschool. The kid wanted to attack the kids that was bullying him, but he tried to recruit other people to help him. Hopefully the mother will get charged, becuase honestly, who buys their kid a gun?

[klingon69]

What is a 9mm assault rifle? Is it an Uzi, a Highpoint arms, mp5, what?
I have never heard of a 9mm assualt RIFLE.

[slim1h2o]

Yep, I didn''t think of that, Toolmangler, but they could have included that in the article. No?

[klingon69]

who buys their kid a gun?
Posted by xkatieee at 03:44 PM : Oct 11, 2007

Don''t know about semi-auto, but my parents bought me my first rifle at the age of 8. My dad taught me gun etiquette, how to use, and when and where to point it.
I taught my son gun respect and proper handling when he was about 7-8. Neither of us has ever planned on any "Columbine" activity.

[gunownerdan]

More than likely, the rifle is not an "assault rifle", but a common 9mm semi-automatic rifle that can be purchased anywhere legally for about $200.
But to the rabid anti-gun extremist, any semi-automatic firearm is automatically an "assault weapon".

[klingon69]

But to the rabid anti-gun extremist, any semi-automatic firearm is automatically an "assault weapon".
Posted by gunownerdan at 03:52 PM : Oct 11, 2007

They found a 9mm gun, 30 BB Guns/air rifles, swords, knives. The only things I see that are questionable are the grenade(make sure it isn''t a dummy, used for practice tosses) a book on bomb making (the anarchist cookbook maybe?)
And he had videos of Columbine, and violence-filled notebooks.

[slim1h2o]

Is a 9mm about the same size as a 22 cal. rifle?
If it is, and its not "asault rifle", that does shed a little bit more light on this article. After all, we all grew up around 22''s and shot guns for "hunting wild game".

[klingon69]

I guess my friend''s kid and step-kids need to be investigated. They have around 25-30 paintball guns...OMG, one looks like a M-16

[klingon69]

Is a 9mm about the same size as a 22 cal. rifle?
If it is, and its not "asault rifle", that does shed a little bit more light on this article. After all, we all grew up around 22''''s and shot guns for "hunting wild game".
Posted by slim1h2o at 04:00 PM : Oct 11, 2007

9mm is a handgun cartridge. It has extremely limited range. I did have a highpoint arms 9mm carbine once, kinda looked like the stormtrooper blasters from StarWars.

[slim1h2o]

Thanks darkmeat, 22''s are ok for a kid to have, if its for hunting wild game or target practice. And then to graduate to a shotgun, to hunt deer or bigger game.

[klingon69]

I guess all you folks buying guns for your kids are as stupid as this parent.
Posted by koko98 at 04:06 PM : Oct 11, 2007

I don''t know, are you as stupid as you sound?
As long as proper training is followed, and respect for the firearm and life is stressed, I don''t see ANY problem with buying a rifle for my son.

[sunseeker6]

Wow, I never knew my 9mm was an asualt rifle. Gee, learn something new everyday. PS for all you liberals, I am a woman who bought it for self defense and have yet to get the urge to go commit a crime. Not every gun owner commits a crime, in fact most who legally buy their gun do not commit crimes.

[scottyusa]

The gun conversation is interesting and enlightening as well. The problem is not the weapon but the individual that used it in an unlawfull manor. We should be wondering why this is happening so frequently in our country. I went through high school in the sixties and there was plenty of bullying back then but people were not getting killed over it. My uncle taught me about guns and hunting at the age of 12 but I was never allowed to posess a gun without an adult around until I was 17. The parents here have a responsibility that they did not live up to.

[vampire1288]

I recieved a 22 bolt action for my 12th birthday recently gave it to my oldest daughter with instruction to pass it on to her daughter when the time comes... i have given almost all my gun stuff to my children oldest is 55... youngest 44 so i want them to pass them onn to their children.. but that probably won''t happen the way things are going bb guns will be outlawed in a few years..

[slim1h2o]

darkmeat4, if that wasn''t soooo true, that would be funny. Ole Teddy got away with murder, on that one!

[waterandsand]

I like how some of media is calling the kids collection a "weapons Cache". **** one rifle and a homeade hand grenade that prob would blow up a matchbox. BB guns do not count.

[toolmangler-2009]

Ted Kennedy''''s car has killed more people than my guns!
Posted by darkmeat4 at 04:21 PM : Oct 11, 2007



Good point, same thing for my guns.

[Krazcarl]

Got some troubled kids that are unpopular and looking for a place in the record books to dust off thier image when I was a kid we played football. It was crank bomb threats ehen I was a kid now thier is a new evil I have no simple answers to tell the truth the cops and I are both lost, If you can''t take care of your kids practice birth control and don''t try to be a friend be a parent that''s the problem as I see it.

[nolalou]

I don''t know about the weapons this kid had, but the fact that he had a bomb making book, and a video about the shootings a Colombine would make me at least suspicious.
I saw an article on the CNN site that goes into more detail, and it said he was in public school until last year, when he ''voluntarily left school'' to be home schooled. Could be the reason he left is due to being bullied.

[toolmangler-2009]

My father gave me a single shot single action Winchester 22 for my 11th birthday and spent three weeks making sure I was safe with it, he also told me straight out that the very first time he saw me carry the gun the wrong way that he would break it into pieces that instant. I knew that if he said it, he meant it. I still handle a gun of any type the way he taught me even though he has been dead since ''60. I still honor his teachings.

[Krazcarl]

Klingon69..We seldom agree but on this one I''m with you these kids need training with weapens and a knowlegeble parent is the best tool. To be honest when I was A kid if I screwed with a gun even BB my dad would have beat me half to death and I would have deserved it he wasn''t cruel but believed in repect that is poorly lacking in the youth parents want to br friends not parents and the children have no direction and have to make thier own way and with no rules this trash will happen.

[reporter211]

Only in PA, Give Me A Break...
Check Out :www.poconocommunitynews.com
and read about what really happens in the poconos

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by crzmeat at 05:03 PM : Oct 11, 2007


I am 100% against child abuse and will punch out a person I see abusing one, My parents physically punished me fo major offenses and use timeout and other measures for minor ones but every offense had its punishmennt without fail and if I was punished at school for something they would verify the reason for it and then punish me again after I got home. (didn''t get away with much but I tried ;))

[gmond]

The argument against home-schooling is that those kids don''t become socialized. This story seems to be a perfect example. And I wonder why mommy bought her little darling an assault rifle. Was he going elephant hunting at the zoo?

[toolmangler-2009]

oops!! hit the ''publish'' button to soon.

I am thankful for every stripe I recieved (with a slim switch) on my bare legs as a child. (but you know, there isn''t a single scar there now) I still can feel them (the spankings) well over sixty some years later when I try to remember them. If todays children were taught the way I was (and all my friends also) there would be no need for metal detectors in the schools and other places. Street gangs would only exist in large cities not in rural America, and most small town homes would still have unlocked doors. Drugs would be something that only happened in far away places and no child would ever sass an adult. (or walk around with their pants down around the knees) Oh well, if wishes was fishes......

[ssm9451]

Now, this is just great. Unbelievable!!!!

[klingon69]

Posted by crzmeat at 05:03 PM : Oct 11, 2007
As you said, we rarely agree, but this is a hotbed topic. Unfortunately, inmany homes today, either they are single parents that have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, thus little time for the child. I recently moved out of a bad neighborhood that had children that were constantly in and out of Juve. Or they are in dual parent homes, but both parents have to work to make it, and thusly have little time for the children.

Posted by sbbm at 05:15 PM : Oct 11, 2007
The 30 air powered guns were airsoft pellet guns. They shoot a soft pellet, and resemble some real guns. You can usually buy these at any big-box retailer. A 9mm carbine is not as dangerous as a 22, why, because of the range. A 22 even states on the ammo boxs, effective range up to 1 1/4 miles. The effective range of a 9mm cartidge, even in a rifled carbine, is quite a bit less.

Now the home-made grenade. Since they didn''t specify what kind, it could''ve been a smoke grenage, tear gas...etc. As kids we used to make tennis-ball grenades with kitchen match heads.

However, I do agree that the notebooks and the video will definately cast a shadow on the whole thing.

[Krazcarl]

My Brother home sckooled his children an there a disaster jail thieves and unwed mothers don''t get me wrong there good kids just looking for acceptance. Home schooling is a joke do you really want someone that barely got a GED teaching your children. The children seriously lack the proper social skills to deal with the rest of us,

[slim1h2o]

Posted by crzmeat at 06:10 PM : Oct 11, 2007

I have a friend, that used to home school their children, when we first met. They have two boys, and were 4 and 9 at the time. Those two kids were well behaved and I used to play chess with the oldest one. However as their situation changed, she had to stop home schooling them, and she started them public schools. And in that time, they have become more disrespectful, self centered, and really not a joy to be around. I blame the public schools for that. And I hate to say it, but they have become brats, so whats wrong with our schools?

[three-o-six]

A cashe of weapons -- one gun -- a bunch of air rifles and some home made grenades -- the liberal media call this a cashe of weapons???

[Krazcarl]

slim1h20... I''m so sick of hearing that it''s the schools fault a single mother was unable to instill respect in her children and that''s the schools fault quit sucking up to a skirt and get honest see you weren''t much help either.

[slim1h2o]

slim1h20... I''''m so sick of hearing that it''''s the schools fault a single mother was unable to instill respect in her children and that''''s the schools fault quit sucking up to a skirt and get honest see you weren''''t much help either.


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Posted by crzmeat at 07:05 PM : Oct 11, 2007

Hey, she isn''t single. Married woman, I didn''t go into details, I''m friends with the entire family, but I did notice the change in the the kids, when they went from home schooled, to public school. In fact the oldest was being bullied by other kids that didn''t speak english. By spanish, or Mexican kids. Thats the truth! Maybe thats the problem!

[shanev137]

I think it''s really great that a 14-year-old could come up with an arsenal of weapons like that in such a short period of time.

It''s inspirational.

[kissamaarse]

Please pay attention. Those are air rifles. B-B guns. Not an arsenal. Not real AKs, or anything. B-B guns.

[slim1h2o]

And also, crzmeat they don''t want to hurt the kids egos, that all kids, no matter what/how they do in sports/spelling bees, or whatever, kids get trophies. Of course, unless they''re in some kind of league, then they don''t. But in regular school, they all get recognized as being special, when they''re not.

[slim1h2o]

sbbm , reread my posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[keithle1]

ATTN ALL BULLIES EVERYWHERE: CEASE & DESIST! STAT!

[fredcs25]

30 air guns is the medias way of saying BB guns[big deal]The anti-gun nuts are at it again.

[kissamaarse]

three-o-six
I agree with you, for the most part. I am a 2nd Amendment Democrat -- or more accurately, a constitutionally inclined American. But I don''t agree with you that it is the "liberal" media. Last I looked all the corporate media boards of directors, including CBS, are shock full of rich-arse Republicans, and those with NO true national loyalty at all, and get off driving wedges between Americans. Stop with the "liberal" media stuff already!

[slim1h2o]

To clear something up, I never said anything about a broken home!!!!!!!!!!!??????????

[slim1h2o]

Posted by slim1h2o

Sorry, got here late, (was here earlier) and have to go to a meeting shortly, didn''''t get the chance to read everything - just saw the whole single mother thing - I did see you''''re freinds of the family and know what you speak of. I''''ll try and re-read...


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Posted by sbbm at 07:42 PM : Oct 11, 2007

Thanks, like I said I didn''t go into details, didn''t think it was neccesary. It was the message that I was thinking of.

[alfieroseiii]

As a policy maker concerned with the prevention of high school shootings, I would administer the following:

Installation of metal detectors and guards with body wands at all main enterances (knives and/or other metal devices such as bombs may also be found using metal detectors).
Prep-talks and observe those students closely that may have the characteristics of uh: appearing dirsturbingly Gothic, EMO, those simply "acting" out of place, such as isolated kids, picked on kids, bullies, excessive worriers, threat makers, or those with emotional & other social problems.
Drills for the students for the possibility of student invasion (Violence Prevention Training).
Conduct random locker and physical body searches for suspected students.

--Al Rose

This was a submitted school assignment for PCC, Roxboro, NC/ Class SWK 110

Author: Alfred Rose
Posted date: Monday, October 8, 2007 11:26:32 AM EDT
Last modified date: Monday, October 8, 2007 11:26:32 AM EDT

[alfieroseiii]

As a policy maker concerned with the prevention of high school shootings, I would administer the following:

Installation of metal detectors and guards with body wands at all main enterances (knives and/or other metal devices such as bombs may also be found using metal detectors).

Prep-talks and observe those students closely that may have the characteristics of uh: appearing dirsturbingly Gothic, EMO, those simply "acting" out of place, such as isolated kids, picked on kids, bullies, excessive worriers, threat makers, or those with emotional & other social problems.

Drills for the students for the possibility of student invasion (Violence Prevention Training).
Conduct random locker and physical body searches for suspected students.

--Al Rose

This was a submitted school assignment for PCC, Roxboro, NC/ Class SWK 110

Author: Alfred Rose
Posted date: Monday, October 8, 2007 11:26:32 AM EDT
Last modified date: Monday, October 8, 2007 11:26:32 AM EDT

[slim1h2o]

Installation of metal detectors and guards with body wands at all main enterances (knives and/or other metal devices such as bombs may also be found using metal detectors).
Prep-talks and observe those students closely that may have the characteristics of uh: appearing dirsturbingly Gothic, EMO, those simply "acting" out of place, such as isolated kids, picked on kids, bullies, excessive worriers, threat makers, or those with emotional & other social problems.
Drills for the students for the possibility of student invasion (Violence Prevention Training).
Conduct random locker and physical body searches for suspected students.

--Al Rose

This was a submitted school assignment for PCC, Roxboro, NC/ Class SWK 110

Author: Alfred Rose
Posted date: Monday, October 8, 2007 11:26:32 AM EDT
Last modified date: Monday, October 8, 2007 11:26:32 AM EDT



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Posted by AlfieRoseIII at 07:52 PM : Oct 11, 2007
+ report abuse


So far you have named/charatorised every kid in the school. What are you advocating? Treat schools as prisons. Kids have enough problems as it is! They don''t need what your talking about, and I don''t have the answers either, but thats not it.