A Pierce County judge denied release Monday for a 13-year-old boy accused of plotting a mass school shooting, ordering mental health counseling before reconsidering detention at a hearing scheduled for October 6.
The teenager has remained in custody at Remann Hall juvenile detention center since early September, when Pierce County sheriff’s deputies discovered dozens of firearms and threatening writings at his home south of Tacoma following multiple tips.
“There’s the belief that he was obsessed, and he was pretty much imitating and doing exactly what he had studied and learned from these other mass shooter incidents,” Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Carly Cappetto said.
The judge required the boy’s mother to schedule mental health counseling appointments before making a final determination on potential release. Prosecutors argued for continued detention citing community safety concerns.
“The state does have concerns for community safety and would recommend that he remain in secure detention,” a prosecutor stated during Monday’s hearing.
The September 6 search revealed numerous unsecured firearms throughout the residence, including weapons illegally lacking serial numbers. Deputies found some firearms mounted on walls or lying around the home, while others were secured in a safe.
Investigators also discovered a backpack containing ammunition and AR-style magazines with writings about school shootings, including references to Columbine. Deputies believe the backpack constituted a “go bag” indicating preparation for an attack.
The teen faces charges of attempted threat to bomb or injure a school, unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, and unlawful possession of fireworks. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The boy has been homeschooled since at least 2021 and has not attended traditional school in years. His defense team and mother requested his release to attend a Pierce County public middle school that reportedly agreed to enroll him.
Defense attorneys indicated willingness to accept security measures if release is granted. “If the court allows him to go to school, he has no objection to going into the office and having his backpack checked every time he arrives at the school,” a defense team member said.
Social media posts showed the teenager posing with firearms, including images taken inside his parents’ bedroom. Some posts contained threatening messages that contributed to the tips leading to his arrest.
His parents have not been charged with crimes related to the case, despite the presence of numerous unsecured weapons in their home and their son’s access to firearms for social media posts.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about youth access to weapons and online radicalization leading to potential school violence threats. The extended detention reflects judicial caution in cases involving alleged mass shooting plots by minors.
The October 6 hearing will determine whether mental health interventions and security measures are sufficient to allow supervised release or if continued detention is necessary for public safety.
