Colorado teen arrested for planning multiple school shootings

Colorado authorities arrested a teen who was allegedly planning a massacre at their former middle school and other locations last month. 

According to an arrest affidavit, William Whitworth, who identifies as Lilly, was arrested by the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office on March 31 after admitting to wanting to carry out a shooting.

The suspect’s sister called authorities after Whitworth was acting violently and began making school shooting references, reported the Colorado Springs Gazette. 

When police arrived they found detailed floor plans of Timberview Middle School and a manifesto, which contained the names of mass shooters and political commentators. She also had a notebook with instructions on how to 3D-print firearms and build bombs. 

“Once entering the home there was trash piled up all around the house to where it made it hard to walk inside,” the arrest affidavit says. “There were numerous containers filled with half-eaten food with mold growing inside and numerous alcoholic beverage containers laying around the house.”

After being interrogated, Whitworth told police that they had been planning the school shooting for “a month or two” and was “about a third of the way from doing it.” When asked about their motive, Whitworth responded that there was “no specific reason.”

Whitworth originally listed Timberview Middle School as the “main target” but added Prairie Hill Elementary and Pine Creek High School as other potential targets. Whitworth was enrolled at Timberview Middle School from August to October 2016, according to representatives with the Academy District 20. She also attended Prairie Hills Elementary from August 2014 to February 2015. 

Whitworth, originally born male, was in the process of transitioning to a woman, according to Eric Ross, spokesperson for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. 

The suspect is facing two counts of first-degree criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal mischief, menacing, and interference with educational instructions. A hearing was set for May 5 and is being held on a $75,000 bond.