A 19-year-old Indiana woman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder after a friend turned her in, telling authorities she was plotting a mass shooting, People reports. Trinity Shockley, who police say planned to carry out shooting at Mooresville High School, was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in prison with eight years suspended. She'll also serve five years of probation. Shockley, who was arrested in February after the friend reported the 12th-grader to the FBI's Sandy Hook tip line, apologized in court to an intended target and the community, saying, "I am so sorry I put you in that position of fear."
She added that her mental health has improved since being "surrounded by people that care about me." The tipster told authorities that Shockley had access to an AR-15, had ordered a bulletproof vest, and expressed admiration for Nikolas Cruz, who carried out the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting. Shockley had previously said she was a victim of bullying, and that she tried to access mental health help but her father wouldn't allow her to, WFYI reports. Her attorney, Joseph Gaunt, argued that Shockley never actually intended to carry out the attack, stating, "She knew she couldn't do it, but she kept talking about it. That's what makes this case hard." Investigators say she used a male alias on Snapchat and Discord when sending messages about the shooting plan, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Morgan County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Cassie Mellady described the sentence as a "fair outcome," citing the extensive planning involved. After the sentencing, the FBI's Indianapolis office described the case as a "powerful reminder that when the public speaks up, lives can be saved." Shockley was arrested Feb. 12, two days before the anniversary of the Parkland shooting—and the day she planned to carry out the attack.
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