An Indiana teenager accused of planning a mass high school shooting on Valentine’s Day as thwarted by a call to a tip line.
Suspect planning high school shooting stopped by FBI
Trinity Shockley, 18, was apprehended on Tuesday in Mooresville, Indiana, and now faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder, threatening to commit terrorism, along with other criminal offenses.
Authorities allege that she plotted to attack Mooresville High School on Valentine’s Day.
According to Fox 59, the police received a tip on Tuesday night alerting them to her alleged intentions.
The affidavit reveals that a call came through to the FBI Sandy Hook Tip Line the same day, where the tipster informed authorities of a friend allegedly developing plans for a mass shooting at her high school.
The affidavit states that the “Tipster stated that their friend has access to an AR15 and has just ordered a bulletproof vest.”
Additionally, the tipster noted that the person involved admires notorious Parkland high school shooter Nicolas Cruz.
Cruz is responsible for the 2018 Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 14 students and three staff members were killed.
This tragedy remains one of the deadliest school shootings in recent U.S. history; Cruz was sentenced to life in prison in 2022 without parole.
High school shooting suspect posted plans online
The affidavit also outlines messages allegedly sent by Shockley via Discord, a popular online platform.
One reported message disclosed that the plan had been in development for over a year and frighteningly included a claim of intending to kill a close friend. The statement “Parkland part two,” was reportedly part of these messages.
The FBI was able to trace the IP address behind the Discord messages to Mooresville, Indiana. A local detective stepped in to advance the investigation after this key lead.
Shockley reportedly visited her school counselor on the same day as the report, openly discussing her “obsession” with Cruz.
The affidavit even mentions that she brought along a locket featuring a photo of Cruz, which she allegedly displayed to the counselor.
That same night, both local authorities and the FBI issued a search warrant at her residence.
Evidence reportedly confirming her plans was uncovered during the search, which ultimately led to her being taken into custody.
Among the items collected were a collage depicting three different school shooters, AR-15 magazines, .40 caliber bullets, and a soft protective vest.
Investigators reportedly found these items in her father’s room, according to the affidavit.
Further disturbing discoveries were made when authorities analyzed notebooks found in Shockley’s backpack.
The affidavit claims the notebooks contained swastikas, violent imagery, and phrases such as “kill,” “band,” and “I hate you all DIE DIE DIE.”
An entry dated December 17 allegedly detailed her battles with depression and a history of relentless bullying.
More recently, a note from last month reportedly alluded to her desire to harm others, stating that these thoughts “won’t stop.”
NBC News reports that Shockley identifies as transgender, opting to go by the name “Jamie.”
It was under the name Jamie that Shockley made the Discord posts about her plan, which included photos of he AR-15.
Thwarted mass shooter was involved in massive accident
In an unrelated matter, the teen was involved in a devastating accident, when she was hit by a suspected drunk driver while crossing the street.
At the time, Mooresville Schools, which she planned on targeting, organized a fundraiser to support her recovery.
She reportedly had significant injuries due to the accident, including a fractured femur, fractured arm, sprained ACL, two brain contusions, and a spinal fracture.
Her aunt, Angela Altmeyer, spoke to Fox 59 in 2022, describing Shockley as “a fun, loving girl.” Altmeyer added, “She’s outgoing. She just wants to go, go, go. She’s always on the move.”
Shockley resides with her father, Tim, a single parent who served in the military for 19 years before taking medical leave.
Altmeyer previously highlighted their close bond, saying father and daughter were “best friends.”
During questioning, Shockley allegedly told police she was “joking” when she mentioned wanting to “shoot the school up.”
According to her, she “would never do anything like that” and denied having access to firearms in her father’s possession.
That said, the affidavit contradicts these claims, noting that Shockley informed authorities of a real plan.
“She was going to wait for lunch because it was the most people coming out,” the document claims.
At present, Shockley remains detained at the Morgan County Jail without bond.
