A teenager convicted of plotting a mass shooting at an Indiana high school has been sentenced to prison.
Trinity Shockley, 19, received a 20-year sentence on Nov. 24, with eight years suspended, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. Her sentence will be followed by five years of probation, according to court records.
In court, Shockley became emotional and apologized to both an intended target and the community, saying, “I am so sorry I put you in that position of fear.” She added, “It’s gotten a lot better since I’ve been surrounded by people that care about me,” referencing her mental health.
Shockley was arrested after a tip to the FBI’s Sandy Hook hotline from a friend raised alarms that she was planning a mass shooting at Mooresville High School on Feb. 14. The tip detailed that Shockley, then a senior in high school, had access to an AR-15, had ordered a bulletproof vest, and admired Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland, Florida shooter, according to court documents obtained by NBC News, ABC News, and CBS affiliate WLKY. Shockley had previously claimed to be a victim of bullying.
Her attorney, Joseph Gaunt, told WFYI-FM that Shockley never intended to carry out the attack. “She knew she couldn’t do it, but she kept talking about it,” he said. “That’s what makes this case hard.”
Morgan County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Cassie Mellady described the sentencing as a “fair outcome,” noting the “significant amount of planning” involved in Shockley’s case.
The FBI’s Indianapolis office also weighed in on social media, calling the case a “powerful reminder that when the public speaks up, lives can be saved.”
Looks demonic