Indiana teen accused of plotting school shooting on valentine’s day

Authorities in Indiana have charged an 18-year-old with conspiracy to commit murder and two terrorism-related offenses after uncovering a plan for a school shooting allegedly inspired by the 2018 Parkland massacre.

Trinity Shockley, who prefers to be called Jamie, was arrested after detectives from the Mooresville Metropolitan Police Department received intelligence from the FBI. The information suggested that Shockley was planning an attack at Mooresville High School on February 14, exactly seven years after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that claimed 17 lives.

A tipster called the FBI’s Sandy Hook tip line, reporting that their friend had access to an AR-15, had recently purchased a bulletproof vest, and admired Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz. Further investigation revealed messages on the Discord messaging platform in which Shockley allegedly detailed the planned attack, referring to it as "Parkland part two" and stating, "I’ve been planning this for a YEAR."

The FBI traced the IP address linked to the Discord messages back to Shockley, leading to a search warrant for their residence. During the search, authorities found disturbing evidence, including a collage of photos featuring mass shooters such as Cruz, Dylan Roof (perpetrator of the Charleston church shooting), and Randy Stair (responsible for a 2017 supermarket shooting). Additionally, police discovered multiple AR-15 magazines, a box of .40 caliber bullets, and a bulletproof vest in Shockley’s father’s room.

Shockley’s backpack contained notebooks with hate-filled messages, including swastikas and violent phrases such as "kill," "bang," and "I hate you all DIE DIE DIE."

Shockley, who has been held without bond at the Morgan County Jail, reportedly told investigators that they were "joking" about the shooting and did not have access to a firearm. However, they also described a detailed plan to carry out the attack during lunchtime at the school.

Court documents indicate that Shockley had been struggling with mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts, for years. They were also grieving the recent loss of their mother and had experienced trauma from a past accident involving a drunk driver. The man who struck Shockley later died by suicide, a fact that reportedly exacerbated their emotional distress.

Shockley’s arrest has deeply unsettled the town of Mooresville, a quiet community unaccustomed to such incidents. Mooresville Police Chief Kerry Buckner expressed his disbelief, stating, "Nothing ever happens in Mooresville. To think somebody was plotting to hurt a lot of kids, our future leaders, is pretty disturbing."

Authorities continue their investigation as the community grapples with the unsettling reality that a school tragedy was narrowly averted. In the wake of the incident, school officials and law enforcement have emphasized the importance of vigilance and reporting suspicious activity to prevent future threats.