A 15-year-old girl has been charged as an adult for allegedly planning an attack at Allegan High School, according to court records and police.
According to an arrest affidavit filed in Michigan’s 57th District Court, the girl detailed a plan in online messages to crash her father’s van through cafeteria windows as a distraction before opening fire. Police said she confessed to breaking into her mother’s gun safe and stealing a Glock handgun, which was later found in her bedroom along with two fully loaded magazines.
Prosecutors filed four charges: false report or threat of terrorism, stealing a firearm, felony firearm and safe breaking. The terrorism and firearm charges carry a combined penalty of up to 27 years in prison. Safe-breaking laws in Michigan allow for sentences of up to life in prison.
The girl was arraigned Thursday in Allegan’s 57th District Court, where her bond was set at $75,000 cash surety. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 2, followed by a preliminary examination Oct. 7.
In a letter to families, Allegan Public Schools Superintendent Jim Hess said the student, who was enrolled in online classes, was arrested before the school day began. “As you can gather from the seriousness of the charges, the swift actions from law enforcement personnel ensured the safety of our students and staff,” he wrote.
According to a report from WOOD TV, the case began after the FBI’s Detroit field office alerted Allegan Police Department to a threat against Allegan Public Schools. Investigators traced an IP address to the teen’s home, where officers say she admitted to planning an attack.
