SAN RAMON, Calif. (KTVU) - San Ramon police confirmed on Thursday that a California High School freshman arrested last month had been planning a school shooting to take place on April 20, 2021 - exactly 22 years after the deadly Columbine shooting.
As first reported in East Bay Times, the boy allegedly called his plan "Columbine 2.0."
San Ramon police learned of the plan after the teen tried to recruit a friend, who later informed a school resource officer.
Police confirmed the teen had an elaborate plan and that he planning to use the same guns that were used in the Columbine High School shooting and build bombs.
According to police, the teen's friend told the school resource officer. The teen allegedly thought he would be a target if he didn't cooperate with the plan. The friend claimed there were six people that the teen had said he wanted to kill, and the shooting would be deadlier than Columbine.
The Columbine shooting occurred on April 20, 1999. Students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, opened fire at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, killing 12 classmates and a teacher and wounding 26 others before killing themselves in the school's library.
San Ramon Police confirm after the California High School teen was arrested, the student told police he hated three of the intended victims.
The school's principal Sarah Cranford sent an email to parents stating , "The district considers this offense to be extremely serious and will take appropriate disciplinary consequences as per California Education Code," Cranford wrote in her statement. "I want to commend our student for doing the right thing and reporting the information to an adult…The safety of our students, staff and parent community is our highest priority, and we take all threats seriously."
San Ramon police told KTVU there will be extra security at a graduation ceremony on Friday out of an abundance of caution.
At this point, additional details have not been released.