A transgender teenager from Indiana has admitted to plotting a Valentine's school shooting at Mooresville High School as part of a plea deal.
The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Trinity J. Shockley, agreed to plead guilty in Morgan Superior Court as part of a new deal that results in the dropping of two intimidation charges linked to alleged terrorist threats.
Indiana Teenager Admits to School Shooting Plot
While Chief Deputy Prosecutor Cassie Mellady confirmed the plea deal with Shockley, she declined to provide further details about the underlying facts of the case. She said that she cannot comment until the case is resolved.
One factor that has received widespread attention in media reports is the suspect's gender identity. However, Mellady said that this is not something that affects how the case is being handled or how sentencing will be determined for the suspect.
She said that that determination has "nothing to do with sex," adding that it does not affect sentencing or placement. Mellady noted that it is something that is being handled by the Indiana Department of Correction, according to WIBC.
Mellady noted that beyond the specifics of the case, her office routinely confronts the intersection of mental health and criminal behavior. She added that while mental health issues are common among defendants, they rarely change how prosecutors pursue charges unless the individual's competency to stand trial becomes an issue.
The prosecutor said that they occasionally deal with mental health, more often than not, adding that there is a difference between having a mental health issue and being competent for trial. She noted that a defendant not being competent makes a case challenging.
Up to 30 Years in Prison
Under Indiana law, an individual who is convicted of a Level 2 felony faces between 10 and 30 years of imprisonment. It was reported that the transgender teenager's attorney requested a sentence of no more than 12 and a half years in jail and up to five years in probation, Fox News reported.
As part of probation, the defendant is required to meet with mental health professionals, is barred from searching for school-shooting content, and is also prohibited from entering Morgan County school properties.
The case began when Shockley was arrested in February this year after police authorities received a tip that she had access to an AR-15 firearm. She was also reported to have bought a bulletproof vest and was obsessed with mass shooters.
When officers searched the suspect's home, they found a twisted shrine to Parkland, Florida mass shooter Nikolas Cruz and several other mass shooters, as per the New York Post.
