SONORA, Calif. -- Two 17-year-olds have been arrested on charges of plotting a bloody raid on a California high school on April 20th, the first anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado, sheriff's department officials confirmed Saturday.
The teenagers were booked on conspiracy to commit murder after police uncovered a cache of knives and swords they allegedly planned to use to murder students and school employees at Summerville High School in Tuolumne City, about 85 miles east of San Francisco.One of the two youths arrested attends Summerville High School, while the other was a former student. Police said they were apparently not directly inspired by the Columbine killings, despite the anniversary.
"They had been planning this for more than a year," Sheriff Dick Rogers told local media late Friday. "Since before Columbine."
April 20 also marks Adolf Hitler's birthday -- apparently one reason why Columbine killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris chose that day to shoot and kill 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives.
Sheriff's department officials Saturday confirmed the arrests but said no further information would be available until Monday.
At a local news conference Friday, Rogers said Tuolumne County authorities first heard about the Summerville plot last month and were given the names of three or four 17-year-olds and one 18-year-old allegedly involved.
Although the attack was allegedly planned for April 20, investigators grew worried that it might come earlier because Summerville is on spring break next week.