“Among the materials that were confiscated were nails, fireworks, lighter fluid, and other materials that were clearly gathered to construct devices that would cause destruction…as well as emergency drills her school had in place to respond in such situations…”
An 18-year-old high school student in Maryland has been released from the hospital and taken into custody after being accused of plotting a school shooting. She was hospitalized after her father reported her as being a potential threat. Nicole Cevario was charged after authorities searched her residence and found a diary containing entries of her plans to carry out a mass shooting at her school. Contained in her diary were also references to the Columbine, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut school shootings. She had been planning the shooting for some time and was gathering intelligence to include emergency drills her school had in place to respond in such situations. The search also turned up bomb making materials that Cevario had collected and intended to use in her plans. It was clear that she had every intention of carrying out acts of violence at her school.
The most interesting and noteworthy aspect of this story is the fact that her father was the one who alerted authorities of his daughter’s intentions. They did a very courageous thing by coming forward and reporting her behavior. School shootings are a very real threat and it’s not uncommon for evidence of planning to come to light after these violent acts are carried out. Diaries, blue prints, ammunition, and even video manifestos have been found in the wake of successful attacks. It’s important for parents to be aware of what their children are doing and to be present in their lives. One can only imagine what sort of devastation was prevented by Cervario’s parents getting involved and not sweeping the evidence under the rug.
Cevario was charged with possessing explosives and intent to create an explosive device and possession of incendiary material with intent to create a destructive device. Among the materials that were confiscated were nails, fireworks, lighter fluid, and other materials that were clearly gathered to construct devices that would cause destruction. With plans on the internet readily available, it’s very easy for people to gather instructions and create explosive devices. Some devices are relatively cheap to assemble and have already been used to carry out acts of violence.
In this age of terrorism, incidents such as this need to be highlighted in order to bring attention to the real threats that face our communities daily. Luckily, this story didn’t have the ending that Cevario intended. Thanks to her father, authorities acted swiftly and removed Cevario from the situation further alleviating the concern for the school. If not for these vigilant parents, this story could have had a very different title.
Angelina Newsom is an OpsLens Contributor and U.S. Army Veteran. She has ten years experience in the military, including a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She studies Criminal Justice and is still active within the military community.
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