During the search of the home, investigators discovered loaded magazines that had “school shooter” writings scrawled on them, as well as clothing and written material that aligned with a “typical mass shooting scenario.”
A 13-year-old boy was arrested early Saturday in Pierce County, Washington after deputies said he threatened school violence and claimed access to guns. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the teen is now in custody and that investigators seized a large cache of firearms and materials linked to a potential mass shooting.
Deputies first received intelligence on Friday, September 5, that the boy was making threats to kill and referencing guns. Acting quickly, the sheriff’s office obtained a warrant for the seizure of a person. Around 1 am on Saturday, September 6, deputies, supported by SWAT, executed the warrant at a residence in the 13500 block of 20th Avenue Court East in Clover Creek.
The boy was arrested without incident and booked into Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center. “There is enough evidence to show that we have stopped something very serious from happening,” said Deputy Carly Cappetto, a spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
During the search of the home, investigators discovered a “significant number” of firearms, both secured and unsecured, along with loaded magazines that had “school shooter” writings scrawled on them. Deputies also seized clothing and written material that investigators said aligned with a “typical mass shooting scenario.”
Officials emphasized that the swift action of deputies and partnering agencies prevented what could have been a catastrophic event in Pierce County. “We want to thank all involved agencies and the Pierce County Sheriff personnel who have spent the last 24 hours tirelessly working this case and bringing closure to something that could have harmed our community,” the sheriff’s office stated. “Thanks to their quick actions, we are safe today.”
Authorities confirmed that the boy had previously been enrolled in the Franklin Pierce School District in 2021, but is not currently attending school. The investigation remains ongoing.
The arrest comes on the heels of a string of disturbing school violence incidents across the country. Just last week, a deadly shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis was carried out by a biological male who identified as a woman. In a separate case, a transgender 13-year-old was arrested and expelled from Les Paul Middle School in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last year after plotting a Columbine-style attack.
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