Wed Sep 10 21:30:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Teenager Arrested in Washington State for Alleged Mass Shooting Threat, Extensive Arsenal Found**
**PARKLAND, WA -** A 13-year-old boy was arrested last week in Parkland, Washington, after authorities uncovered a potential mass shooting plot and an extensive arsenal of weapons within his home. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office acted after receiving a tip from an internet watch group regarding threatening online posts allegedly made by the suspect.
“After reviewing the suspect’s social media posts, it was warranted to immediately move forward with an arrest,” said Deputy Carly Cappetto of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities believed the boy had “school shooter ideations.”
A SWAT team executed a search warrant at the boy’s home early Saturday morning, discovering a cache of 23 firearms, multiple boxes of ammunition, loaded magazines with disturbing writings, and clothing suggestive of a mass shooting scenario, according to Cappetto. The sheriff’s office says the boy’s bedroom contained evidence of an obsession with past school shooters, including imitations of their behaviors through photos and inscriptions.
“It is unknown who or what the intended target was going to be, but it’s clear it was a matter of time before a tragic incident occurred,” the sheriff’s office said.
Images released by authorities show an array of long rifles and handguns seized from the residence. Authorities are working to determine the legality of the weapons, with some lacking serial numbers and potentially being homemade using a 3D printer.
The suspect, who has not been in school since 2021, pleaded not guilty to five charges in juvenile court, including making a threat to bomb or injure property and unlawful possession of a firearm. His parents claim the situation is a misunderstanding, with the mother suggesting the social media posts were an attempt to “be cool,” and the father stating he had no intent to harm anyone.
The boy’s parents have not yet been arrested, but the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are conducting interviews with adults who were in the home, and the prosecutor will determine whether charges related to improper storage of firearms will be filed.
“We have not received any specific threats toward individuals or schools in our community,” said Joel Zylstra, the Franklin Pierce School District’s executive director of strategic partnerships and communications, confirming the boy was a student in 2021.
The arrest highlights the ongoing concerns about school safety and the potential for violence, as students across the country settle into the new school year. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are serving warrants on electronic devices found in the home to gain a clearer understanding of the suspect’s intentions.
First Piper 