A Maryland high school student was arrested and charged with threat of mass violence after police say they discovered evidence revealing the teen had plans to commit a school shooting, authorities said Thursday.

The arrest on Wednesday came after authorities discovered a 129-page document they say was written by 18-year-old Alex Ye, the Montgomery County Department of Police said in a news release Thursday.

Authorities learned of the writings following an exchange Ye had via Instagram messaging with an unidentified person who felt a school shooting was “imminent,” according to the teenager’s arrest warrant. The unidentified person knew Ye from an inpatient treatment at a local psychiatric facility, the warrant says.

Ye referred to the writings as “his memoir,” which begins with a disclaimer that it is a work of fiction, the arrest warrant says.

  • Fredselfish@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    Wait just had this argument with my boss. He said that conference were in Vegas those assclowns got together to plan on how to seize voting machines etc wasn’t illegal. He says you can’t be charged for planning an attack. I gave a scenario of me planning a bank robbery. He said not a crime to plan it.

    Yet here we are they arrested this kid. If says a work of fiction can he really be charged? Not saying he wasn’t nuts what not just what to know how you charge them?

    Because lots of people write fiction scenario I am sure of shit wish they could do but would never do so.

    • NeptuneOrbit@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Your boss is a moron. Conspiracy is a crime. If you and I plan to rob a bank, and you ask me to go get masks to further the crime, and I do, we have all committed conspiracy to rob a bank.

      In this case, the kid’s lawyer may be able to make a persuasive case it was just a dark fiction, but if there is evidence he was doing more than just writing? Idk. I’m not a lawyer.

    • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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      7 months ago

      People are often blown up by the US government for planning an attack. So that’s an, em… interesting philosophy your boss has.

    • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      So much comes with the intentions.

      It’s not illegal to create a plan to rob a bank on its own. It becomes a crime when it gets specific, like dates and locations. If they can show intention to commit the act, it becomes a crime.

      But that doesn’t mean they won’t necessarily arrest you anyway. Going through an arrest, jail, and court proceedings just to be acquitted still sucks.