Penn student wrote of shooting up the school

by Leanne Tokars (ltokars@wsbt.com)

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A 16-year-old Penn High School student accused of planning a Columbine-style attack

A 16-year-old Penn High School student is accused of planning a Columbine-style attack. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

ST. JOSEPH CO. — He’s accused of planning a Columbine-style attack on Penn High School. On Tuesday, a judge in Ohio unsealed the documents of the man accused of helping him plan that attack.

The documents reveal information about the local investigation, including conversations the student had online and with police.

They show the student told police he started to have thoughts about an attack after his girlfriend broke up with him. He said he was kidding, but he knew he had gone too far.

For Crystal and Stephanie Sosnoski, the thought of an attack at Penn High School has become a real concern.

“It’s a little scary,” exclaimed Crystal.

The new documents show the Penn student had discussed planning a party in conversations online. It says he told police that a “party” was his code word for a massacre.

Police first noticed the 16-year-old after he posted comments on the popular site MySpace.

The documents show the teenager called the Columbine killers 'heroes' and 'martyrs.'

It shows that further investigation revealed he talked with Lee Billi of Ohio about getting weapons and drawing up maps of security cameras and sites.

Inside two notebooks found in the student's locker, the documents show police found a list of students' names. It says the boy told police they were people who made him mad.

Police also found a series of entries in one of the notebooks. It says the boy admitted to writing them.

One dated April 16 reads: "I wish I could start feeling normal. I wish I could shoot up the school and get away with it and still get my national recognition. That's how much I hate most of these people."

On April 18, an entry reads: "It would be absolutely easy to pull off. These people would not be prepared for a Columbine."

And on April 18, an entry reads: "I could kill anyone without feeling sorry because society sucks!!!"

The documents hold scary details for students.

“I don't understand why?” commented student Allison Smith.

But for most students, it’s clear the teenager is in need of help.

“This is such a big school — it's huge — and I can understand how people can get lost a lot and just not have any friends or anything,” said Smith.

Police also seized a computer and discs along with ammunition from Billi's house.

The documents show they also found a box of headlines about the Virginia Tech shootings, and expect to find child pornography.

A task force out of Ohio that deals with Internet crimes against children is investigating.

The teenager's lawyer told WSBT he hadn’t yet talked with his client about these court documents. He said it would be better to wait until the case is over before commenting.

But the lawyer also said his client is a bright, personable young man.

The teen has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Prosecutors are still deciding whether to charge him as an adult.

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