MESA, AZ - Authorities say three guns were found in the home of a Mesa high school student arrested Thursday for threats to kill herself and some of her peers.
According to Sgt. Brandon Jones with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, the 16-year-old girl is a student and teacher assistant at Red Mountain High School, near Brown and Power roads.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the girl had been asking her parents where the guns were kept in the house, so her father was "alarmed" and put trigger locks on each gun.
Jones said the girl posted threats three days ago on a YouTube channel owned by a transgender community in Toronto, Canada.
The owner of the channel contacted Toronto police, and they then tracked down the poster, Jones said.
Toronto police then contacted MCSO, which launched an investigation at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Part of the post reportedly said the following: "I now literally have a plan of seriously hurting... killing... murdering people in my high school. And a playlist to do it."
According to Jones, the post went on to say, "I WORK at the high school as a student teacher basically... which is why no one can find out about me somewhat accidentally planning to blow up the school. (and yes... it would be super easy...)"
MCSO went to the home of the girl's parents where the girl admitted to making the post among other statements, Jones said.
Jones said detectives entered the home and found a semi-automatic .40 caliber, a .357 revolver, and a .22 revolver.
Detectives also seized two computers in the home to process more evidence, Jones said.
Arpaio said in a news conference that the girl planned to bomb the school and shoot others.
The girl told detectives she had been planning this before the Connecticut school tragedy last week, Arpaio said.
In interviews with detectives, the girl's parents said she has a history of mental health issues and has been seen by a psychiatrist, according to Jones.
The girl was taken to the Maricopa County Juvenile Detention and will be charged as a juvenile, Arpaio said.
The girl is facing charges of one count of computer tampering and one count of threatening and intimidating.
Tookie88 posted at 4:57 pm on Fri, Dec 21, 2012.
Also, the charges seem a little weak considering how blatant she was about her threats. What is going to happen when she is back out into society? Chances of her trying this again is pretty good. Sounds like she needs to be committed...not jailed...for a long time.
I also read somewhere that the school is thinking of disciplinary actions against her. I am sorry, kick her out of school and the district PERMANTLY! She needs to be somewhere else...not back in any school ever again. This is for the other students protection.
Tookie88 posted at 4:23 pm on Fri, Dec 21, 2012.
Just out of curiosity, why isn't something mentioned on the MPS site about this? Why does MPS or Red Mountain High School not commented on this?
Masterrogue666 posted at 9:10 am on Fri, Dec 21, 2012.
Copper: I agree she needs assistance. However, if laws have been broken, then she should also have to face those charges. After all, she has to be found guilty (which seems that she is). But the JUDGE will have the final say as to the severity of the punishment, and her mental state would no doubt figure into it.
Copperflowers posted at 5:10 am on Fri, Dec 21, 2012.
Let us make a welcoming environment for kids who are struggling to stay out of dark places, or struggling with them already.
Copperflowers posted at 5:09 am on Fri, Dec 21, 2012.
So great to hear that tragedy was averted. By posting her feelings and plans online, this girl was obviously reaching for help, since she could have already attempted these things without risking discovery.
Since she did, she should get mental-health care, not punishment. To change our national attitude, we must immediately treat sick kids like sick kids, especially if they have harmed NO one.
aaarrrggghhh posted at 7:31 pm on Thu, Dec 20, 2012.
A big THANK YOU to all involved, including but not limited to parents, law enforcement, and school, that took this girl's statements seriously and acted to intercede.