Calexico Police stop planned mass school shooting plot

A Calexico high school student told the principal on Friday about a plot by some students to commit murder on the campus.

Police said that student may have saved many lives.

Calexico Police Lieutenant Gonzalo Gerardo said, “The threat was brought up to the principal, and the principal took correction action to stop this.”

Police responded immediately to the threat.

“The school alerted us right away and we spoke to the juveniles right away. And we started interviewing them,” Gerardo said.

During the police investigation at the school, several students came forward and gave information about the alleged plot.

“Students started coming forward. Because there was some mass text messaging going around throughout the school between the students that there was going to be a school shooting,” Gerardo said.

The investigation was quick but thorough.

“There was a total of three people involved that had a plan, a very, very specific, well-thought out plan on how to carry out this school shooting,” Gerardo said.

Police said the threat was real.

“Our case is strong enough to show that there was a conspiracy and attempt to commit murder,” Gerardo said.

The three students are in custody.

“We arrested a juvenile on Friday and one on Saturday. One of the students had left town,” Gerardo said.

That student was arrested on Tuesday morning.

The parents of one of the students told police they have several firearms at their house.

“It was planned for soon after it was discovered,” Gerardo said.

Police said this could have ended in tragedy if not for the student who told school officials about it.

“Worst case scenario, they would have killed people, and in most cases, they probably would have ended ending their own lives or probably would’ve had a shootout with authorities responding to that call,” Gerardo said.

Police said that bullying may have been a factor, but they are quick to point out that it is no excuse to put the lives of others in danger.

Because of the seriousness of the accusations, the students may be tried as adults, depending on the decision by the District Attorney’s Office.