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On March 31, 19-year-old Colorado Springs teen William Whitworth was arrested for allegedly plotting a mass shooting across multiple schools. As per the Gazette, officials searched their house after Whitworth's sister informed authorities that they were behaving violently and had expressed plans to carry out a school shooting.
Upon sweeping the house, authorities discovered that Whitworth was reportedly in possession of plans to build homemade bombs. While the suspect was not in possession of any weapons, they had also indicated that they had plans to print 3D firearms. While the affidavit listed Whitworth as male, the suspect's sister referred to them as 'Lily'.
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of school shootings. Readers' discretion is advised.
When investigators entered the home, they reportedly found William Whitworth drunk in bed. When questioned, Whitworth allegedly confessed that they were planning on carrying out the attack. The charges against Whitworth include menacing and criminal mischief.
William Whitworth was allegedly targeting 3 schools
According to authorities, they were called to William Whitworth's home after the suspect allegedly punched holes in the wall. Whitworth's sister said that the suspect has anger issues and that they claimed they would shoot up a school. The schools targeted included Timberview Middle School, Prairie Hills Elementary, and Pine Creek High School.
Along with plans to make homemade bombs, officials discovered a manifesto that detailed William Whitworth's plan to attack multiple schools and churches. Whitworth reportedly said that they had been planning the attacks for at least one month.
The manifesto also listed the names of politicians, serial killers, entertainers, and past school shooting suspects, including the Columbine shooters. While Whitworth referred to the school shooters as 'smart', cops and politicians were called 'con-man'.
When asked about how much research they had conducted about shootings, William Whitworth reportedly replied, "Too much".
A district spokesperson commended Whitworth's family for reporting the crime to police.
The spokesperson said:
"We are filled with gratitude for those who ‘saw something/heard something’ and spoke up."
School shootings in America
According to K12 Dive, the first three months of 2023 have seen approximately 89 shootings in the US, leaving 75 people dead or injured. The K-12 shooting database predicts that if the attacks continue at the same frequency, the nation could see approximately 400 shootings, almost double of last year.
In response to the spate of gun violence in the country, President Joe Biden said that lawmakers need to tighten the nation's gun laws. Republican politicians such as former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, have claimed that the endemic violence should be treated as a public mental health crisis.
KRDO reported that William Whitworth's preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2023. The bond has been set at $75,000.
