The FBI and law enforcement officials in Columbia County, Oregon, arrested a teenager late last month who was allegedly planning to carry out a mass shooting involving explosives at a Washington state shopping mall.
In a news release Thursday, the FBI said the teen, whose name was not released, was arrested May 22 by deputies with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
The FBI learned of “detailed and imminent” attack plans after they were reported to the agency just two days before the juvenile’s arrest.
After learning about the alleged planned attack, the FBI said it began working with its partners to identify the mastermind behind the threat. On May 20, the Columbia County teenager was identified as a suspect.
According to the FBI, the teenager shared nihilistic violent extremist ideology, as well as the plans, in online chats.
The teenager was placed under court-authorized surveillance out of caution for the public, and, on May 22, a federal search warrant was executed, leading to the teen’s arrest.
The FBI said the suspect demonstrated the intention and means to carry out a plan that included details like the map of the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso, located more than two hours south of Seattle, and a route to follow.
Hellbound and Down 