Two teenage girls have been arrested in Riverside County following an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at Corona High School. Authorities stated that investigators discovered months of online discussions where the teens allegedly planned the attack.
The investigation began on October 6, when the FBI alerted the Corona Police Department to social media conversations about a threat to Corona High School. This initial alert led to the arrest of a 15-year-old girl, according to a department news release.
Detectives involved in the alleged plot investigation conducted searches of homes and electronic devices. These searches helped officials identify a second suspect, also a 15-year-old girl, who was a student at Norco High School, the release confirmed.
The two teens allegedly spent months researching past school shootings and discussing how they could carry out an attack at Corona High School. Their discussions reportedly included conversations about how to obtain weapons; however, police stated that no weapons were found during the searches conducted as part of the investigation, and the teens had not yet acquired any.
Both teenagers are currently in custody, facing suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder, according to the police release. The Riverside County District Attorney’s office is reviewing the case, which remains an active investigation. The effort is a coordinated one, involving the FBI, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, and the Corona-Norco Unified School District.
Police have not specified a motive for the alleged attack, nor have they indicated whether any specific targets at the school had been identified. The identities of the teenage suspects have not been released to the public.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented on the disruption in an FBI statement, noting that "a potential act of targeted violence against a Southern California high school was disrupted before anyone was harmed." Patel emphasized the priority of protecting children, stating, "There is no greater priority than protecting our kids, and threats against our schools will be met with the full force of the FBI and our partners." He also extended thanks to the Corona Police Department and the FBI Los Angeles office for their work on the case.
