A teenager in Indiana has been arrested after allegedly plotting a mass shooting at a high school on Valentine’s Day.
Why It Matters
According to Statista there were 83 school shootings in the U.S. in 2024. Since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, more than 338,000 students in the U.S. have experienced gun violence at school, according to nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise, which was established in 2013 in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
What To Know
Eighteen-year-old Trinity Shockley was apprehended on February 13 on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, intimidation and conspiracy to commit intimidation.
Shockley allegedly planned to carry out the mass shooting on February 14, Valentine’s Day—exactly seven years after the Parkland shooting in Florida, in which Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people. Court documents show Shockley had an “emotional attachment to Cruz” and that his actions were the motivation behind the foiled attack.
Court documents show the suspect claimed in a Discord chat that the shooting would be “Parkland part two,” and that it had been planned for a year. Police found the suspect’s father, Timothy Shockley, was in possession of AR-15 magazines, guns and an armor vest, but they were not kept in the house, police said.
The FBI’s Sandy Hook Promise tip system alerted the local sheriff after someone reported that their friend was preparing for an attack, possessed an AR-15 rifle and had recently ordered a bulletproof vest.
Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
Who Is Trinity Shockley?
According to court documents, Trinity, a 12th grader at Mooresville High School, goes by the name “Jamie” and identifies as transgender.
Law enforcement seized a number of notebooks from Shockley’s room when searching the home she shared with her father in Mooresville. The notebooks allegedly included several passages including one where Shockley identified as “Dex… a transgender male (who has) a lot of homicidal thoughts.”
“These thoughts never seem to stop, you may believe that I am some edgelord, but in reality, I am just a loser,” Shockley reportedly said in an entry dated December 16, 2024. “I am grateful for my chance to live but in reality, I am scared of living.”
Local news reports show Shockley was seriously injured after being hit by a car in 2022, something she told law enforcement she was bullied for.
“People would tease her, and she has anger issues,” the affidavit reads. “Trinity used to cut herself in the past because of anger issues.”
Shockley had sought help from a school counsellor in recent years having expressed suicidal thoughts, but court documents say that her father “would deny her the access to the resources.”
What People Are Saying
Dr. Jake Allen, Superintendent of Mooresville Schools, told Newsweek: “I am incredibly grateful for the quick response of our local, state, and federal law enforcement whose actions prevented what could have been a devastating situation. Through our school staff as well as partnerships with multiple outside agencies, a variety of mental health resources are available to all students of Mooresville Schools. We strongly encourage any student or family with questions about resources to reach out to their school office. Our schools should always be a place of safety, learning, and belonging. We are committed to doing everything in our power to keep our schools safe. Together, as a community, we will continue to protect and support one another.”
Mooresville Police Chief Kerry Buckner told WTHR: “Nothing ever happens in Mooresville. It’s a small town. To think somebody was plotting to hurt a lot of individuals, of kids, future leaders of this country or whoever is pretty disturbing.”
What’s Next
Shockley is currently detained without bond at the Morgan County Jail in Martinsville, Indiana. A court date has not yet been set.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “988” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org