Mooresville, Ind. — An 18-year-old from Mooresville, Indiana, Trinity Shockley, was arrested for allegedly plotting a mass shooting at her high school, scheduled for Valentine’s Day. Authorities said the teenager expressed admiration for the Parkland gunman, Nikolas Cruz, who was responsible for the deaths of 17 individuals at a Florida high school in 2018.
The Mooresville Metropolitan Police Department was alerted by the FBI on February 11 about a potential violent plan targeting Mooresville High School. Shockley quickly became a person of interest and was detained following a coordinated effort that included searching her home. This operation was a joint effort between local police, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, and Mooresville School Police.
By February 13, charges against Shockley had been formally filed, including conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of intimidation with a threat to engage in terrorism. According to police affidavits, Shockley had been planning the attack for over a year and saw herself as an ardent follower of Cruz.
Information provided to the FBI by an anonymous tipster detailed that Shockley had access to an AR-15 rifle, had recently purchased a bulletproof vest, and expressed intentions to first kill a close friend. During an interview, detectives learned of Shockley’s deep emotional attachment and admiration toward Cruz, describing herself as his “number one fan.”
Shockley’s dangerous obsession was further evidenced when she spoke to a school counselor about her feelings and showed a heart locket with Cruz’s photo. Further inspections at her residence uncovered a disturbing collage in her room featuring mass murderers like Cruz, Dylann Roof, and Randy Stair, and her backpack contained notebooks with hateful messages and symbols.
In these notebooks, Shockley identified herself as “Dex,” and disclosed her frequent homicidal thoughts. Despite repeated attempts to access mental health support through the school, it was revealed that her father consistently denied her these services. This disregard was noted in police documents, stressing a lack of belief in mental health treatment.
The troubling circumstances surrounding Shockley also included personal tragedies, detailed in the affidavit as the recent loss of her mother and the lingering effects of an accident involving a drunk driver who subsequently took their own life.
This arrest has stirred discussions concerning mental health support for youth and the responsibilities of guardians in recognizing and remedying potential warning signs of violence among teenagers. The community and authorities now face the substantial task of addressing these complex issues while reinforcing security measures and support systems in schools to prevent such potential tragedies.