Officials detail thwarted Washington state mass shooting

Federal officials on Thursday released details of how law enforcement stopped a juvenile from Oregon from carrying out a planned attack. Deputies from the Columbia County Oregon Sheriff’s office arrested the teenager two weeks ago after the FBI received reports that the suspect was planning to use improvised explosives and carry out a mass shooting at the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso, Wash. Authorities do not plan to release the suspect’s name or any other identifying information because the individual is a minor.

How did officials stop the suspect’s plan? The FBI on May 19 received reports about the individual’s plan and local law enforcement the next day identified the suspect as a juvenile resident of Columbia County. The individual reportedly shared attack plans and nihilistic, violent extremist ideology in online chats. Officials surveilled the suspect before serving a search warrant and conducting the arrest on May 22.

What was discovered about the suspect’s plan? The suspect reportedly had a map of the mall, a set route to follow, and a plan for the attack. According to the FBI, the shooter planned to detonate a homemade explosive inside a movie theater to incite panic before shooting patrons as they exited. The suspect also reportedly planned to commit suicide at a predetermined location inside the mall after the attack. 

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report about the final police report about the Covenant School shooting in 2023.