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Police Say Boys Planned
School Attack
By Associated
Press
Thu Sep 14, 9:37 PM
GREEN BAY, Wis. -
Two teenage boys amassed a cache of guns, ammunition, bombs and
other weapons at their homes and apparently planned to use them to
attack their high school, authorities said Thursday.
The boys, both
17, were arrested Thursday morning at East High School, but their
identities were not released pending possible charges, authorities
said.
Police Chief
Craig Van Schyndle said officers who found the materials also found
suicide notes.
"From statements
that we heard it gave us great concern that, yes, it was in the very
near future something was going to take place," he said.
The school
resource officer also "learned these two students were obsessed with
pain, death, and had suicidal thoughts," Van Schyndle said.
Police raided
their homes and found the guns, ammunition, several bombs,
bomb-making material, camouflage clothing, helmets and gas masks. No
weapons were found at the school. The chief said the students had
learned bomb-making on the Internet.
"This was a
Columbine waiting to happen, from the briefing that I've had" said
prosecutor John Zakowski. "Only they know how close it was to being
reality."
Zakowski said he
can't say what charges might be filed until interviews are finished,
but any charges will be handled in adult court. The police chief
said authorities were considering charges of conspiracy to commit
murder and conspiracy to commit arson.
School
Superintendent Dan Nerad credited school staff and their
relationships with students for allowing them to learn of the
situation and immediately get the school resource officer involved.
"I think the
important thing is that nothing did happen, and that this was indeed
averted today," Mayor Jim Schmitt said.
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