MARIEMONT, Ohio — A teen accused of conspiring to shoot students and a teacher at Mariemont High School practiced at a shooting range, according to a newly amended complaint submitted to Hamilton County Juvenile Court on Wednesday.
The teen was in court for a hearing Wednesday, and Judge Kari Bloom announced that he will undergo a competency determination before the court will consider whether the teen will be tried as an adult.
The teen is charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, meaning he could face life in prison if convicted as an adult. Prosecutors argued that the teen didn't need to be evaluated before being bound over to adult court, but Bloom disagreed.
"It certainly is the court's interest that if the state of Ohio wants the child bound over and sent to adult court, to face that sentence and adult prison, it gives you the same protections that an adult would have in that case, which would be requiring their competency before they stand trial," Bloom said.
The teen was charged Wednesday, Feb. 7 with having a "credible plot to harm students and staff." In a press conference, Prosecutor Melissa Powers said the teen conspired with an out-of-state adult, who is between 22-24 years old, to conduct a "mass casualty event" at Mariemont High School. Powers said the teen had a hit list naming at least eight students and one teacher, and she showed texts between the two, including conversations about killing and raping people. The teen also practiced shooting weapons at a shooting range, according to an amended complaint.
After his arrest, the teen's defense team said the plot stemmed from "predatory behavior" of his alleged co-conspirator.
"It cannot be understated that this case stems from the predatory behavior of an adult male that met this impressionable young child on social media," the teen's legal team said.
The legal team also said the teen has "significant mental health challenges" including ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
"To try a child in this circumstance as an adult is against everyone's interest and will not further public safety," the legal team said.
Police body camera footage shows that the teen and his father spoke to police the morning before he was arrested. The 14-year-old was pulled out of class later that day and arrested once the threat was deemed credible, Mariemont police said.
The teen was arrested after he allegedly exposed his plan to Boom Swallen, another Mariemont High School student, who then told his father. Swallen, 15, told WCPO 9 that the accused teen said "he would kill [him] as fast as possible" if he told anyone about his plan.
Swallen said he immediately had to tell someone and that he did so because he cares about people.
The accused teen is set to be in court next on March 13.
The teen's defense asked for his release ahead of the hearing, but prosecutors said the victims on the hit list would only feel sake if the teen remained detained.
"He knew what he was doing," said Lind Scott with the prosecutor's office. "If the court considers release, you're going to have someone out there who told the police the day of his interview, 'I was going to do this, I wanted to kill them because they deserved it.'"
Mariemont police agreed, leading Bloom to decide to keep the teen detained.
READ MORE:
District: FBI discovers unfounded threat to students, staff at Mariemont High School
'We will learn lessons' | Mariemont HS superintendent looks forward after alleged school shooting plot
'He's a hero' | Son revealed mass shooting plot at Mariemont HS, despite threat to his life, father says
Watch Live:
