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.

[michellem99-2009]

Cops will shot any one who points a real or toy gun that looks real as they can''t tell the difference. So whine as the constutions said yer have the right to bear arms and with that right yer to use it properly, stow it, clean it,keep its bullets stowed,out of the hands of kids,know gun safety,etc. There are persons who should not have access to guns. A hot head should not. There are shootings here every day and that is Seattle.

[tiger7654321]

I posted this earlier, but it must have been removed. I said earlier that CBS did some bad reporting here by implying in the video that the kid had 30 "real" weapons, not just 3. If you watch the video, they display what appears to be 30 or more weapons, and they make you think that they are all real. But read the story, and you find out only 3 were real, and 2 were 22 cal. and one a 9mm. So the display of 30 or more toys is made to look like this kid really had an arsenal. CBS didn''t point out this important fact and just tried to let it slip by. CBS news did a real bad job here. No wonder most people don''t trust your news. Bob

[nonbeliever2]

As a gun owner, people who abuse my second amendment rights to own anything I wish to legally infuriate me. However, reporters who feel free to juice any gun story for the purpose of ratings, or to push their socialistic agenda of gun confiscation make me just as mad. Why don''t we try something different for a change? Why not arm all the honest people. The professors, the principals, the coaches, the pilots?
Shootings are always going to happen, guns or no guns. Any policy to "control" the problem is a joke because criminals whether they be American, or British, or Australian, or Canadian, DO NOT CARE. The only ones who do care, are the honest citizens, those who are later victimized by the criminal. Or worse, a government which may at some point turn on them as history has shown. Face it! Gun control and confiscation is a pipe dream. Its time to arm the honest citizen!

[nonbeliever2]

Lets see... FIRST The news wire was a buzz about this kid having over 30 arms including AK-47''s and an MP5 FULLY AUTO machine gun which his mom had purchased as a present. Now we find out that ALL of those arms EXCEPT ONE were just air guns made out to look like assult rifles. And the one true gun was a semi-auto. Not to mention NO AMMO was even found! Im not defending the kid, obviously he had problems. Not to mention the fact that mom and dad are probably the worst parents in the world. But when journalism goes so far out of their way to slam the guns in reporting a story that people consider if their reporting is HONEST if not FABRICATED all together, something has to be said about over sensationalism.

[michellem99-2009]

crzmeat Dear . That is not a smart idea..Yer may ask why..We in Maine went to small schools in our day. The kids,parents today get hot headed/in a rage. Therefore the use of a gun would not be a good idea or to teach the basics of as their minds should be on learning to be good ciztens. I say say manners be taught. If they would have gun safety lessons then the age and if they are able to use the lessons with an adult that can teach such a course if that is allowed.

[gunownerdan]

"Terrorists could care less if their victims are armed or not"
Posted by toldyouso21

Wrong!
On 9/11 the terrorists used BOX-CUTTERS to hijack the planes. If there was just one armed pilot or air-marshall on each plane, the whole tragedy could have been avoided. And suicide bombers can sometimes be easy to spot. It would be best for everyone if these terrorists were stopped by one of their intended victims.
Self Defense-
a-human-right.com

[gilb7386]

I believe that it is getting tougher to grow up in todays society. There are more things/problems/situations making our children to lose their way. Making them unable to cope and adjust. And I am sorry to say, I don''''t believe it is going to get better. As all these(things/problems/situations) progress and intensify, so does our youths anger and frustration, and being youthful they act out.

[homerjay2007]

Typical leading %u201Creporting%u201D.

The kid has been home schooled for the last 18 months, having been pulled out of that high school specifically because of the level of bullying, but note how %u201Chome schooled%u201D is put right up there at the top because the press knows how %u201Canti-social%u201D home schooled kids are. (Not to mention that they are desperate to deflect criticism of the fact that nearly all kids who do actually attack others at school are inmates of those schools.)

Oh, and %u201Cbe very afraid%u201D %u2013 the %u201Chomeschooled%u201D teenager had an %u201Carsenal%u201D of weapons. Made up of a bunch of knives (gasp!), a bunch of BB-guns (eek!), a 22 rifle and pistol (now we%u2019re getting serious!), a 9MM rifle (heaven help us), and even some WMD%u2019s!!! (A couple of %u201Chome made grenades%u201D made of black powder and BB%u2019s.)

Fortunately, police apparently didn%u2019t find any smuggled nuclear devices or messages from %u201CIslamofacist terrorists%u201D.

Yeah, the kid was disturbed, and it%u2019s probably a good thing they picked up on it before he did do anything, but good grief %u2013 the reporting on this is completely retarded, fear-mongering claptrap.

America, home of the chickens and land of the slave.

Homer

[nolalou]

darkmeat4, stop blaming CBS for "yellow jounalism". This kid was arrested, and it was widely reported by all media, not just CBS! This kid was looking for an accomplice to mass murder, and that person informed on him. In addition to the weapons, he had books and videos on bomb making, and the Columbine murders. This is a disturbed kid who may or may not have followed up on his threats! If the police had just ignored it, and then he went on to do something , you''d be the first to complain !

[notblue]

It''s time once again to let the teachers of America take back the control that has been lost by liberal policies. It''s time to reinstate the concept personal rsponsibility and respect.