Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

If it's not comics, tv, or movies, this is the place! Talk about anything and everything else right here!
Slarti
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5846
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 2:25 pm
Title: Damn Not Given
Nightscrawlearth Character: :icey :phoenix

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Slarti »

It’s been a busy few days for me at work, since this high school is right up the road from my office. Expect to see this on the national news within the next few days:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 365256.htm

Two teens accused of plotting rampage
The Kansas City Star
Two Platte City teenagers were charged Monday with threatening to carry out a school shooting to mark the seventh anniversary of the attack at Columbine High School.

Trevor P. Fattig and Sean M. Amos, both 17, face felony charges of making a terroristic threat. They allegedly told several classmates they planned to use guns and explosives this Thursday in a shooting rampage at Platte County R-3 High School in Platte City, said Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd.

Fattig and Amos were being held in the Platte County Detention Center Monday with bond set at $15,000.

According to court records, the boys told a group of classmates not to attend school Thursday because they planned to bring an AK-47 and a Magnum to school and plant explosives in the gymnasium.

The teens allegedly said they would then order the assistant principal at gunpoint to make an announcement for everyone to report to the gym. Then they would kill the assistant principal and shoot students and faculty, according to the charges.

A student told school officials about the alleged threat, and the principal immediately alerted authorities. Police then interviewed five witnesses who said Fattig and Amos told them they intended to bring weapons to school on Thursday.

“In today’s world, we have to take these threats very seriously,” Zahnd said.

The families of Fattig and Amos could not be reached for comment.

Platte City police Sgt. Beth Willoughby said Monday investigators were not able to search the residences of the defendants to see whether they had weapons.

Principal Craig Robinson would not say whether the students were suspended. It is district policy not to discuss matters pertaining to students, Robinson said Monday.

“It’s one of those things that you just hate to see happen, but it happened, so you do what you have to do to keep the kids safe,” he said.

Because of the threats, school officials said, students and parents said they were concerned about safety at school on Thursday, according to court records. That’s when students are scheduled to take a test that affects the district’s accreditation.

If convicted, Fattig and Amos face a maximum of four years in prison, Zahnd said.
Blue_Demon94
Lookout
Lookout
Posts: 931
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:58 am

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Blue_Demon94 »

It's a good thing they were caught.. as if we need another Columbine
Image
StarChild
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 288
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:06 am
Title: Banned
Location: Lost in a maple leaf-help!

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by StarChild »

People...arghhh...! I am glad they were caught too. Nothing like "impressing" people...aha...:faint
Image

Ah, yes...lover at heart and along comes the ultimate romantic! Fox hunt ala Nightcrawler
Crocodile Hunter
Navigator
Navigator
Posts: 1298
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 5:39 pm
Title: is not a moderator.
Location: (F)Winland

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Crocodile Hunter »

People are......erm...idiots
chicory
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:50 pm

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by chicory »

Originally posted by Blue_Demon94
It's a good thing they were caught.. as if we need another Columbine
School shootings don't even get front page anymore. There's a reason most urban schools have metal decectors - attacks on other students and teachers just aren't that usual.

There have been several Columbines since Columbine - just not of the same magnitude. Since they were complaining of their standardized test schedule being disrupted I wonder if maybe they should know better than to schedule those so close to Hitler's birthday :shakeno
For those who believe, no explanation is neccessary. For those who do not, no explanation is possible. ~Gino Dalpiaz
Slarti
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 5846
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2002 2:25 pm
Title: Damn Not Given
Nightscrawlearth Character: :icey :phoenix

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Slarti »

Nice. Some other kids in Kansas were planning an attack too:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/21/foiled ... index.html

We heard from the police cheif that the kids here in Kansas City had schematics in their houses, though so far they haven't found any weapons. The cops think they may have actually had weapons offsite somewhere though. On Thursday morning the bomb squad swept the school before classes started and cops were there all day. The district made attending classes optional. It was crazy.

I'm so glad I went to high school in the years before Columbine. We had no metal detectors, no bomb threats, if you brought a weapon to school you got suspended (heck, I carried my grandfather's pocket knife in my purse in high school!) and on the last day everybody brought water guns. People would wear long trench coats and hide super soakers in them. Now, my old high school has a dress code prohibiting trench coats and metal detectors.
Saint Kurt
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2151
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 3:43 am
Title: Derelict Landlord
Location: Watch out for that cow pie!

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Saint Kurt »

I was wondering if they'd actually found the weapons the kids had planned to use. I mean, where does a high school kid get an AK-47? (I know you can buy them because I've known several gun collectors who own them, but the guns were, I don't know the word for it, but they had been altered so they were no longer semi-automatic. They only shot one round at a time.)

It seems like the one piece of good news in all of this is that the kids are all dumb enough to discuss their plans with other people who are smart enough to turn them in. I wonder if planning a terrorist attack is becoming the modern teenage "cry for help" that suicide threats were when I was in high school. Scary thought...

-e
Image
The Drastic Spastic
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Posts: 1846
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 3:01 am
Location: ROK

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by The Drastic Spastic »

Originally posted by Saint Kurt
I was wondering if they'd actually found the weapons the kids had planned to use. I mean, where does a high school kid get an AK-47?
The internet!!

http://www.ak47world.com/

GUNS!

I'm happy I went to school in Saskatchewan. We had kids get sent off to juvie for bomb threats, but they didn't actually have any bombs or anything. They were just too stupid to know that joke wasn't funny.
Und die Sonne spricht zu mir
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Ditto here. No metal detectors either. There was this time a kid stole a peice of calcium from the chem lab as a lark, started sweating holding it, which started activating it - so he threw it into the toilet (he evidently wasn't paying attention in chem class) and blew the bathroom door off the room - but other than that, its just the odd fist fight in school here. And the odd knife taken away, but no one has stabbed anyone.

Drugs seem to be our biggest challenge now...

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
CrazyEyes08
Lubber
Lubber
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:34 pm
Location: the astral plane

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by CrazyEyes08 »

I'm still in school and am getting so sick of the bomb threats, drug busts, gang fights, etc. I can't wait to get out.
kurt_the_quick
Bilge Rat
Bilge Rat
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 12:33 am
Location: Buffalo

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by kurt_the_quick »

man, I know high school is tough, but seriously WTF. what inspires people to think about carrying out such an act? I can almost wrap my mind around suicide bombers, they believe they are doing a religious act and/or they have no other option, but I'm pretty sure these kids aren't thinking anything along those lines.
Originally posted by Slarti
If convicted, Fattig and Amos face a maximum of four years in prison, Zahnd said.
and that is not going to solve the problem, just make them meaner and smarter. either commit these kids to some serious therapy for four years or throw them in jail and lock away the key. :
Saint Kurt
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2151
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 3:43 am
Title: Derelict Landlord
Location: Watch out for that cow pie!

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Saint Kurt »

That's why I wonder about these high school terrorist threats rather than terrorist actions like what did happen in Columbine.

It all makes me wonder if there's been some kind of fundamental shift in our societal mores that makes it more likely for kids now to act out by saying "I'm going to hurt other people" when they need help than saying, "I'm going to hurt myself".

When I was in high school (it was during the bronze age) nobody ever threatened to hurt or kill another students, but I remember quite a few classmates threatening to kill themselves over situations that seemed too overwhelming to cope with.

It's a scary development if this is so. Even conspiring and planning a terrorist act that's never going to be carried out requires a whole different level of violent intention than threatening suicide. Plus the consequences of being discovered are polar opposites - somebody threatening suicide might actually get to talk to someone who can help them with their problems. Going to prison never helped anyone with anything. (Not that I'm advocating suicide threats. Plain old asking for help is the best way to get help. :) )

I'd like to blame TV or something, but I don't know if it's that easy.

-e
Image
The Drastic Spastic
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Posts: 1846
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 3:01 am
Location: ROK

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by The Drastic Spastic »

Originally posted by Saint Kurt
It all makes me wonder if there's been some kind of fundamental shift in our societal mores that makes it more likely for kids now to act out by saying "I'm going to hurt other people" when they need help than saying, "I'm going to hurt myself".

When I was in high school (it was during the bronze age) nobody ever threatened to hurt or kill another students, but I remember quite a few classmates threatening to kill themselves over situations that seemed too overwhelming to cope with.
Blame the "quite a few" people who threatened to kill themselves before. How many of them actually did it? Not many. People who actually commit suicide don't tell people about it.

I get the feeling there is a lot of sentiment towards suicide threats that goes "Well, I don't believe you will do it, but if you do... good riddance." Threatening suicide won't get you much now that people have clued in that it's often just an attention-grabber.

And it's not as if kids don't still threaten suicide. The numbers are probably higher than ever. They just don't get any press because... who cares? You have to DO something before people will care! Threatening to hurt yourself? Meh. Making an fancy plan with charts and graphs? Whoa! Somebody's serious about this! The only way suicide will get you that much attention is if you actually kill yourself... and who wants to do that??
Und die Sonne spricht zu mir
HoodedMan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2335
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2003 11:39 pm
Title: Lord Sarcasmo von Snarkypants

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by HoodedMan »

A maximum of four years? That's really sad and does not speak well of our justice system...
ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen looken peepers! Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.
idsunki
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 423
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2002 3:05 am
Title: NARC!!!!!
Location: united states
Contact:

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by idsunki »

What has spoken well of our justice system lately?
You always know where the X-Men have been
Image
because it's always on fire.
HoodedMan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 2335
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2003 11:39 pm
Title: Lord Sarcasmo von Snarkypants

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by HoodedMan »

Good point...
ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen looken peepers! Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.
LadyErin
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:05 am
Location: Limbo
Contact:

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by LadyErin »

Originally posted by kurt_the_quick
man, I know high school is tough, but seriously WTF. what inspires people to think about carrying out such an act? I can almost wrap my mind around suicide bombers, they believe they are doing a religious act and/or they have no other option, but I'm pretty sure these kids aren't thinking anything along those lines.
I wish I could say I didn't understand it.
I wish I could say I had never gotten to the point where I wanted to hurt others who hurt me.
I wish I could say I worried about innocence bystanders getting hurt.

But I can't. I simply can't.

High school is hell for some people. Literally.
More than once, some boys grabbed at my bits. More than once I was checked into lockers. More times than I can count in fact. Ditto for the number of times I ran from classes crying. I got cussed at, spit on (both spit and food), shooter-mable sized balls of tacky putty hurled at me, tumbtacks shot at me, pencils shot me - all in front of the techer!

At first...I just wanted to go away. Change schools.
Then...just go to sleep and never wake up.
Then die.
About then...I got *furious*.
How dare they hurt me like that.
How dare they touch me. How dare they speak to me like that. Bruise me. Make me cry.
And I wanted to hurt them for it.
And the teachers who knew, and saw, and did nothing to stop it. Who told me to toughen up. That it was normal. That is was a rite of passage. That everyone went though it.
And most of all?
I wanted to hurt the people who claimed to like me, claimed to be my friends - and stood by and did nothing. Didn't help me. Didn't tell them to stop. Didn't ask them to stop. Or stood by and laughed.

I wanteed them to hurt like I was hurtting. To make they sorry for what they did. I didn't want to be the only one in pain. The only one who prayed to stop existing. Who felt so alone.

I never did anything. But I can understand those who do. Honestly, I can. I don't think it's a moral thing to do. But I can understand it.

What's worse, I've since found out none of them ever ment to feel that way. They didn't know they were doing that to me. They thought it was just kid stuff. They had no idea.

And actually...I think that hurts more.
http://lady_erin.livejournal.com
:magneto
What do you mean, you "don't believe in homosexuality?" It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary. ~~Lea DeLaria
Want to IM me? U2U me for the screenname.
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

I had a simliar experience - I was tormented constantly - beat up by boys (kicked, punched, body checked into walls) had gum spit into my hair...honestly, you name it, it probabally happened. I was suicidal and on medication for it from the age of 13 to 15.

I still would have never ever made the step to killing them. Once I started getting to the "angry" part of my bulling, I sent some of their testicles into orbit, which had the desired effect that they didn't physically pick on me anymore. But kill them? Wish them dead? Never.

Bulling is extremely serious, and needs to be treated with a lot of consideration. But it is something in society that is driving kids to these more extreme actions, because there has ALWAYS been bulling, but never such vicious reprocussions before. And bulling is handled MUCH stricter by most school boards now.

As for me now...I was able to let the last of my pain and anger go years back, thank goodness. I will never forget it, and it has shaped me into the person that I am, so I can never leave that behind, but I hold no ill will to the people that teased me. Heaven help the kid that picks on another in front of me now though ;). The one thing I know, is that I am a hell of a lot stronger of a person than I would have ever been without it, and for that I am grateful.

I guess, in a stretch, I could understand in a way the kid who killed one or two of his/her tormentors. I will never understand why they would come in and start randomly shooting. A lot of the kids and teachers who are injured or killed in these attacks has NOTHING to do with the bullying.

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
Crocodile Hunter
Navigator
Navigator
Posts: 1298
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 5:39 pm
Title: is not a moderator.
Location: (F)Winland

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Crocodile Hunter »

Alkuperäinen postittaja Saint Kurt

I'd like to blame TV or something, but I don't know if it's that easy.

-e
Blame Marilyn Manson thats what the politicians do :P
LadyErin
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:05 am
Location: Limbo
Contact:

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by LadyErin »

I dunno Paws...I'm only 22.

And...I can see a few differences between the groups of kids who commit violence and those who don't.

Those who do, do not get proper psychological care. In fact, my mother didn't believe in it - because 'they plant things in your head' and the church we belonged to maintained that the 'proper' treatment for depression was prayer. So even when I asked for it, I was denied.

Those who do, are often raised in families where violence is used to solve problems. 'Get them before they get you' or 'Don't get mad, get even' attitudes. Or possibly physically abusive parents.

Those who do, tend to be outsiders already. Or they lack a strong social support network. They feel they have no one to turn to, no where to go. Nothing to lose.

But those factors together...that makes a big difference.

And I'm not trying to deend them. But if we don't understand why they do what they do - we can't help them. Or prevent it.
http://lady_erin.livejournal.com
:magneto
What do you mean, you "don't believe in homosexuality?" It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary. ~~Lea DeLaria
Want to IM me? U2U me for the screenname.
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Well...I have had a few more years to work on it for sure - I think I was still smarting a little at 22.

I HATE it when people expect to cure things with prayer alone...expecially mental health issues. I actually refused to see a councellor when I was younger, but have since made good use of them. I hope that you can as well...letting that anger go was for ME not for THEM. Who needs to carry that shit around for the rest of your life?

I think that we need to offer a lot of mental health in schools too.

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
LadyErin
Butt Monkey
Butt Monkey
Posts: 293
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:05 am
Location: Limbo
Contact:

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by LadyErin »

Originally posted by fourpawsonthefloor
Well...I have had a few more years to work on it for sure - I think I was still smarting a little at 22.
Oh yeah...certainly smarting still.
I HATE it when people expect to cure things with prayer alone...expecially mental health issues. I actually refused to see a councellor when I was younger, but have since made good use of them. I hope that you can as well...letting that anger go was for ME not for THEM. Who needs to carry that shit around for the rest of your life?
As I've said in the past, there are many reasons I broke with them. I was in counceling for two years. It helped. Quite a bit. The anger...it a good buffer for the pain however.
I think that we need to offer a lot of mental health in schools too.
Oh yes. And personally...we need to allow kids to seek mental health care without parental consent.
http://lady_erin.livejournal.com
:magneto
What do you mean, you "don't believe in homosexuality?" It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary. ~~Lea DeLaria
Want to IM me? U2U me for the screenname.
fourpawsonthefloor
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 3958
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:49 pm
Title: Executive Administrator

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by fourpawsonthefloor »

Oh yes. And personally...we need to allow kids to seek mental health care without parental consent.
I hear that!! Parents shouldn't be able to keep their children from being safe just to sooth their own personal feelings or misconceptions.

Paws
Image
I'm actually quite pleasant until I'm awake.
Blue_Demon94
Lookout
Lookout
Posts: 931
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:58 am

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by Blue_Demon94 »

Sometimes kids won't seek the help for themselves though.. some of them don't see anything wrong with hurting themselves or others and if the parents don't realize what's going on in their kids life, then it's pretty much up to peers to be like, "Billy, you need help".. I've been picked on and I can't say I haven't wished horrible things on the people who inflicted pain on me, but I think things have a way of working themselves out, so I'm glad I did nothing to retaliate..
Image
The Drastic Spastic
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Posts: 1846
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 3:01 am
Location: ROK

Kansas City kids plan Columbine-style attack

Post by The Drastic Spastic »

Originally posted by fourpawsonthefloor

Bulling is extremely serious, and needs to be treated with a lot of consideration. But it is something in society that is driving kids to these more extreme actions, because there has ALWAYS been bulling, but never such vicious reprocussions before. And bulling is handled MUCH stricter by most school boards now.
But that's only because the school shootings got so much press and made people realize that bullying actually is a problem. Without the potential harm to others, and ESPECIALLY the potential harm to "innocent bystanders" (my ass, people who watch and do nothing) there's no way bullying would be the huge issue it is now.

You have to give the original shooters a certain amount of credit. I have to admit, they were my heroes in high school. I would never have gone on a killing spree, and I wasn't picked on much by that time, but having the whole thing opened up was a big deal. I haven't read much about it except for some write-ups on the other people who died, so I don't know what their motivations were, but I always felt like they kind of did it for me, and everyone else who had to deal with that crap.
Und die Sonne spricht zu mir
Post Reply