4 students arrested in Tuolumne County school shooting plot

School Shooting PlotSonora, Calif. — (KCRA) An investigation into a planned shooting at a Tuolumne County school led to the arrests of four male students, deputies said Saturday.

“They were going to come on campus and shoot and kill as many people as possible at the campus,” Tuolumne County Sheriff Jim Mele said.

Investigators with the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office said administrators at Summerville High School contacted them Wednesday about three students who were making threats against students and faculty.

The investigation included interviews with the students and several searches, and deputies said they were able to identify a fourth student who was also involved in the plan.

“The suspects’ plans was very detailed in nature, and included names of would-be victims, locations, methods in which the plan was to be carried out,” Mele said.

Mele said the students confessed to planning the mass shooting.

They were removed from campus Wednesday after other students at the school noticed suspicious activity and alerted administrators.

“Their willingness to get involved and report what they saw prevented what well could have been another needless tragedy,” Mele said.

Detectives plan to meet with the families of the children whose names were on the hit list to notify them. Among those listening at Saturday’s press conference were parents sick with worry.

“The thought about my daughter being on that list makes me sick. Do I want to know? Do I not? I don’t know,” Kristin Wilson said.

The plot was foiled one day before a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon killed nine people.

“It is clear from past history, such as Columbine and Sandy Hook, as well as other recent events in Oregon, that children are willing and capable of planning and carrying out acts of violence against fellow students and teachers on school grounds,” Eric Hovatter, Tuolumne County assistant district attorney said. “While it is easy to say that can never happen in Tuolumne County, the public and local law enforcement must be vigilant, as they were here.”

The four students, who were not identified because they’re juveniles, were arrested on conspiracy charges.

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