13-year-old arrested with gun, ammo, victim list and school layout at LA home after he was overheard planning the attack
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A 13-year-old middle school student has reportedly been arrested in Los Angeles after police officers found an AR-15 rifle, 100 rounds of ammunition, a list of victims, and a layout drawing of his school at the boy's home.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced on November 22 that the teenager had been taken into custody but authorities have refused to release his name.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva told a press conference on Friday, November 22, that multiple students had overheard the suspect at Animo Mae Middle School in LA on November 21 saying he was planning on attacking the school the very next day.
According to Daily Mail, the potential school shooting was averted thanks to the students reporting what they heard to teachers, who in turn contacted the police.
"We ask all LA residents if they see or hear something, say something. In this case, the fact that they stepped forward led us to be able to prevent a tragedy," Sheriff Villanueva said.
A search warrant was issued for the teenager's home, where officers found a hand-drawn map and a list of names, along with an AR-15 rifle and ammunition. The student has since been taken into juvenile custody on a charge of making criminal threats.
In a similar but unrelated incident, another minor was also arrested for threatening to shoot up a different LA school in a social media post.
There was reportedly no weapon recovered in that particular case. Meanwhile, in yet another unrelated incident, an adult has also reportedly been arrested after police found that he had been buying parts online to make himself a fully automatic "ghost" rifle.
"Ghost" guns are firearms constructed by buying unfinished versions online. Those who build these weapons usually source the necessary parts required to complete the gun from other vendors online.
These weapons are completely unregulated by present laws and can reportedly be completed in 15 seconds. At the press conference, Sheriff Villanueva revealed that police officers have received multiple school shooting threats since the Saugus High School shooting on November 14.
The shooter in that incident had also used a ghost gun, bringing public attention to their existence.