EVERETT, Wash. — Everett police arrested an 18-year-old student Tuesday whom they believe was planning to shoot people at his high school.
Officers arrested Joshua Alexander O’Connor at ACES High School on attempted murder and other charges, The Daily Herald reported.
O’Connor’s grandmother called 911 earlier Tuesday and when officers arrived at her home she showed them a journal where he allegedly drew up plans to shoot students and use homemade explosives at the school, police said.
Detectives serving a search warrant at the grandmother’s house seized items including the student’s journal, a rifle found inside a guitar case, and inert grenades.
O’Connor wrote that he wanted the death count to be as high as possible so that the shooting would be infamous, according to court papers. His entries included details about making pressure-cooker bombs, activating inert grenades and deploying explosives for maximum casualties, court papers said.
“I need to make this count,” O’Connor reportedly wrote. “I’ve been reviewing many mass shootings/bombings (and attempted bombings) I’m learning from past shooters/bombers mistakes.”
Another entry allegedly described an armed robbery of a convenience store that police believe O’Connor participated in Monday night.
Cash from the robbery was supposed to help fund the school shooting, a deputy prosecutor, Andrew Alsdorf, said in court.
Public defender Rachel Forde noted the gun and the grenade shells were legal to possess. She said the “musings and ventings” in O’Connor’s journal weren’t enough evidence to support a charge of attempted murder.
O’Connor’s bail was set at $5 million.
Authorities are continuing to investigate.