Pa. man planned school shooting for Columbine anniversary: cops
Apr 13, 2025
A central Pennsylvania man planned to shoot up a high school around the 26th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, authorities say.
Braeden Phillips, 20, was arrested Friday night and remained jailed over the weekend without bail, the Centre Daily Times reported. He had plans to shoot up State Coll
ege High School, cops said Saturday.
Phillips was planning the shooting for 8:40 a.m. on April 21, which cops described as a high-traffic moment in the school day, according to investigators. He also had plans to plant bombs in staircases, police said.
The shooting would have come one day after the 26th anniversary of the April 20, 1999, Columbine shooting, in which two students killed 13 people at a high school in Colorado. This year, April 20 falls on a Sunday.
Phillips told police a juvenile friend of his was also part of the plot against State College High, according to investigators. Staff members at a Centre County youth center alerted officers about the plot.
“State College Police would like to recognize that the success of this investigation would not have been possible without the initial report made by a concerned citizen,” cops said in a statement.
He was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and carrying a handgun without a license, and his first court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday.
State College High said school would be in session as usual throughout upcoming weeks.
With News Wire Services ...read more read less