A Massachusetts teenager, an unnamed 18-year-old, allegedly threatened to carry out a school shooting in Cape Cod. Weeks later, however, the charges filed against him have been dropped.
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As reported by WBZ News, citing the Cape and Island District Attorney, police arrested the teen in mid-September, and authorities charged him with threatening to use a deadly weapon in a public building.
Allegedly, the 18-year-old had told mental health counselors that he wanted to carry out a school shooting. He further claimed he had been refurbishing firearms in his room, authorities said. Police didn’t find any illegal weapons in his home. However, they did find a 3-D printer deemed large enough to manufacture them.
Additionally, authorities allegedly found photos and a journal referencing the Columbine High School shooting.
Weeks after he was arrested, however, the 18-year-old was released on a $2,500 bail. Authorities ordered him to wear a GPS ankle monitor and to remain in house arrest as the investigation continues. The DA dropped all charges against the Falmouth teen due to an unspecified “discrepancy.”
Reactions
Baffled parents reacted to the teen’s release following his alleged desire to shoot up a school.
“It’s extremely terrifying knowing that he’s out on the streets without any kind of monitoring whatsoever,” parent Dianna Wilson said, as per WBZ News. “If this individual thinks this was a horrible experience for them, I would say that that attorney and that family need to think about all the parents and children in this town.”
Another parent, unnamed, called the situation “not fair” and “not right,” expressing their concern.
“When you look around at all the other pieces, there’s still so much more to look at and make me believe that this individual is still a credible threat to our schools and to our children,” the parent said.
Falmouth Public Schools sent a letter to parents and staff members saying that no outdoor recess or activities were to take place on Friday.
In addition, the Falmouth Police Department issued a statement saying that they will protect Falmouth schools.
“The Falmouth Police Department wants to reassure the public that we will continue to do everything within our ability to ensure safety of our schools and our community,” the statement read.
Suspect Still At Large, Attorney Says
Meanwhile, the 18-year-old attorney, Krysten Condon, said that “significant exaggeration of the facts and evidence” resulted in accusations against her client that she called “unfair.” Furthermore, Condon, while maintaining the teen’s innocence, also said that the real suspect is still at large.
“This person is still at large and the parents hope that the Falmouth Police will continue to investigate the actual individual who was on school property,” Condon said in a statement shared with WBZ News.