Columbine type shooting planned for high school

October 12, 2007

Plymouth Township, Philadelphia - A 14-year-old boy was arrested in Philadelphia and is suspected of planning a "Columbine" type event at his school.

A search of the boy's home turned up a 9 mm rifle with a laser scope and a number of air guns, police said. No ammunition was found for the rifle. Police also found seven hand grenades, four of them operational, said Joe Lawrence, deputy chief of the Plymouth Township police. Bomb-making equipment and manuals were also found.

Police said the boy's mother bought the rifle for the boy several weeks ago at a gun show. Lawrence said police are also investigating whether the boy's mother bought him black powder used in the grenades.

School officials said police acted on a tip from a Plymouth Whitemarsh High School student and his father. They said they believe the tip was prompted by Wednesday's shooting at a school in Cleveland, Ohio.