Police arrested a 16-year-old boy Monday after learning he was recruiting other students to shoot up a high school in Berkeley, California.
“On Saturday, May 21st, we received a tip that a 16-year-old boy had attempted to recruit other high school students to participate in a school shooting at Berkeley High School that included explosives,” Berkeley police said in a statement. Police then obtained a search warrant for the boy’s home.
“When the patrol officers searched the teen’s residence, they discovered parts to explosives and assault rifles, several knives, and electronic items that could be used to create additional weapons,” the statement continued. The suspect turned himself in to the police Monday and was arrested on suspicion of possessing destructive device materials and threatening to commit a crime which will result in death or great bodily injury, according to the release.
Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) superintendent Brent Stephens commented on the arrest and the actions of police in a statement.
“We want to thank the individuals who came forward to report this threat. Speaking up in this instance allowed for the police to intervene in advance of any harm occurring,” Stephens said. (RELATED: DOJ Investigates Uvalde Police Response)
A 16-year-old boy was arrested after recruiting others to participate in a mass school shooting that could have included a bombing at Berkeley High School, police say. https://t.co/UjxW8uO20G
— KTVU (@KTVU) June 1, 2022
“We know this incident, as well as the shooting at Civic Center Park last week, may result in our students and staff feeling anxious and upset,” BUSD said in a statement. “We will have counseling available at Berkeley High School and all BUSD K-12 schools tomorrow. I encourage our students and staff to reach out for support.”
The Alameda District Attorney did not comment on the arrest as the suspect is a minor, CNN reported.
This comes a week after a teenager shot up a school in Uvalde, Texas, leaving 19 children and two adults dead. On Wednesday, a shooting at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, left at least four dead.