An 18-year-old student from Indiana has been accused of planning a mass shooting at school on Valentine’s Day, allegedly inspired by the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people lost their lives. According to court documents from Morgan County, Jamie Shockley faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder, intimidation, and terrorism threats. Shockley, who identifies as a transgender male and prefers the name Jamie, did not have legal representation listed in the court records.
A tipster notified the FBI Sandy Hook Tip Line about Shockley’s plans, indicating that he had access to an AR15 rifle and had recently purchased a bulletproof vest. The tipster mentioned Shockley’s admiration for Nicolas Cruz, who carried out the Parkland shooting. Shockley allegedly referred to his plans as “Parkland part two” in messages sent via the online platform Discord.
Authorities traced the messages to Mooresville, Indiana, where Shockley resides. Shockley’s home was searched, and law enforcement found a collage of images of three school shooters, along with magazines for AR-15 rifles and ammunition. Shockley also reportedly showed an obsession with Cruz, wearing a locket with Cruz’s picture inside and expressing thoughts of harming others in notebooks found in his possession.
Shockley admitted to police that he had anger issues and had engaged in self-harm in the past. While he claimed he was joking about shooting up the school and denied access to his father’s firearm, Shockley had detailed plans and expressed a desire to act during lunchtime when many people were present.
School administrators and a counselor revealed that Shockley had signed up for mental health services but had not been deemed in need of immediate intervention. Shockley had expressed suicidal thoughts and had a history of being a victim of bullying, as detailed in a diary entry.
The affidavit states that the man felt his father did not believe in mental health treatment or take his child’s conditions seriously. It is alleged that Shockley’s father consistently denied access to mental health resources whenever Shockley sought them. Shockley’s father was reportedly unavailable for comment when contacted by phone on Thursday. Prosecutors submitted a motion to detain Shockley without bond, as indicated in court records. The Mooresville school district acknowledged being informed of a potential threat and expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The district confirmed that the student in question has been apprehended and will not be returning to school. Additionally, the district advised parents and students to reach out to their school offices for information on mental health resources available to all students. For individuals in crisis, assistance can be sought by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or by engaging in live chat at 988lifeline.org. Further support can be found at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
