What is persuading anyone, much less students this age, that doing things like this makes any sense whatsoever, that it is in any way something they should aspire to do? Kids can be wonderfully idealistic; this is the opposite of that. It marks a very serious failure, on that goes beyond just the gun violence. That this was prevented, yes, that is a tremendous success. But that this was ever contemplated, that these young men ever had such ideas, and tried to act on them? That is a gun violence cultural failure.
From MSNBC and the AP:
3 teens held in 'Day Zero' plot for school massacre
'They made no attempt to deny' intentions, police say of 15-year-olds near New Orleans
COVINGTON, La. — Authorities in suburban New Orleans said Friday they uncovered a plot by three teen boys to shoot fellow high school students during the first day of classes this coming Monday.
The 15-year-olds, who called themselves "Day Zero", identified a student and a faculty member whom they planned to kill, Sheriff Jack Strain said in a conference call with reporters.
They also planned indiscriminate shooting, as well as firing at any sheriff's deputies or other officers they saw and taking their weapons, said Capt. George Bonnett, a spokesman for the sheriff.
"Like many other cases similar to this, they fully intended to end this episode with taking their own lives," the sheriff said.
Schools start Monday in St. Tammany Parish.
Schools Superintendent Trey Folse said other students at Lakeshore High School told school officials about the plan on July 17, and the officials immediately notified him and the sheriff's office.
"These kids ... were planning to carry out an incredible and devastating attack on a school. To me, the bigger story is this office worked with school authorities to make sure this didn't occur," Strain said.
Principals talk at least once a week with sheriff's office supervisors and Folse talks at least once a week with him, Strain said.
Most schools stepped up security in the aftermath of the 1999 tragedy at Columbine High School near Denver, Colo., where two students fatally shot 13 people and themselves.
The three suspects were being held at a juvenile detention center on charges of conspiracy to commit terrorism and more charges were possible, the sheriff said. Conviction on the conspiracy charge could keep them in detention until they turn 21, Bonnett said.
"They made no attempt to deny their involvement with the plan and admitted their intentions," police said in a news release. "All three were cooperative with investigators."
Strain said he did not know whether the students had problems at school. He said he did not know of any prior arrest record.
Because the boys are juveniles, their names have not been released by authorities. Strain said he did not know if they had attorneys.
Judging from the amount of material confiscated and the detail of the plans, Strain said, the boys apparently had been planning the attack throughout the summer. He didn't know if the targets were chosen because of something that happened last school year.
He would not say whether they already had guns or where they planned to get them, nor would he comment about a possible motive. But Bonnet said it wasn't race, because the arrested boys are of different races.