It seems like just yesterday that I was typing away about the Tacoma Mall shooting. Now here I am again, covering another disturbing South Sound event, except this time we have somewhat of a happy ending: police kept a school shooting from happening.
According to the News Tribune, "A 16-year-old Rogers High School student, armed with his stepfather’s guns, planned to randomly shoot students, then kill himself at the school this week..."
The boy was arrested at his home on Sunday and he's being held at Remann Hall juvenile jail in Tacoma. He's been charged with attempted first-degree assault. Police were tipped by a school ROTC instructor who was told by an ROTC student that he had received instant messages from an angry student outlining a plan to shoot people at the school.
According to the Seattle P-I story, "The boy told authorities he planned to take a .22 caliber rifle and a handgun with 15 rounds because it was easy to conceal. He said he planned to 'take people out and save the last round for himself.'"
Investigators found two rifles, two handguns, ammunition, a homemade bomb and a copy of “The Anarchist Cookbook,” at the boy's home.
Earlier this month, three students from Key Peninsula Middle School were arrested and charged in a plot to set fire to the school and shoot selected students and staff.
What is in the water in the South Sound? Crazy juice? I'm reminded of Chris Rock's "Crazy White Kids" bit from his "Bigger and Blacker" HBO special:
"What the hell is wrong with these white kids shooting up the school? I got people telling me, 'Come on, Chris. Come up to a school. Talk to the kids.' I'm like, 'Fuck the kids! Do you got a vest? Maybe I'll think about it...' You have little white kids saying, 'I want to go to a black school where it's safe.'"