UPDATE
Boy, 17, plotted to 'murder his parents and sister, then go on a rampage through schools, setting off pressure cooker bombs, throwing Molotov ****tails and gunning down students'
- John LaDue planned to kill as many people as possible in a commemoration of the Columbine massacre
- He was busted after police were called to a self-storage unit he was seen walking into and closing the door behind him
- LaDue admitted to setting off several bombs around the small town about 80 miles south of Minneapolis
- A few of his bombs were uncovered at an elementary school playground by melting snow
- He faces 10 separate counts, including four charges of premeditated murder for planning to kill his family prior to going on the rampage
By AP
A 17-year-old honor student planned to bomb and shoot his way through a Minnesota high school to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, authorities claim.
John David LaDue’s plot to use pressure cooker bombs, Molotov ****tails and multiple firearms including an assault rifle to kill his parents, set fire to a field and go on a killing spree through Waseca High School was foiled Tuesday by an alert citizen, police said.
‘A great catastrophe and tragedy was averted,’ Waseca Mayor Roy Srp said at a Thursday afternoon news conference.
'A music-playing teen': Waseca Schools superintendent Brian Dietz characterized
John LaDue as a quiet, reserved teen who never had any trouble before his plan was foiled
LaDue’s plan first unraveled when a person also at the self-storage unit where he made his bombs called police to report a suspiciously acting teen, a police official said during that news conference.
The citizen reported a backpack-wearing teen who entered the storage locker and closed it behind him, cops said.
An officer responding to the storage locker immediately noticed a significant amount of bombs and bomb making materials, police said.
‘If you can guess what I'm doing, I'll tell you everything,’ he told investigators
When told to guess what LaDue was doing, the cop asked if he was making a bomb.
‘Yes,’ the teen replied, and then admitted to placing the bombs near a local elementary school that were uncovered when snow began melting last month, officials said.
He then admitted to wanting to shoot the police officer but having only a knife in his possession when confronted at the storage unit
Hartley Elementary: Bombs were found in melting snow at this school earlier this year, and LaDue admitted to making them, police said
Officials declined to confirm at the press conference whether he intended to shoot the cop.
LaDue’s arsenal included an SAS assault rifle, a .22-cailber rifle and a Baretta handgun, according to the paper.
He also had made multiple explosives and had the components to make many more, police said.
‘I’m very disturbed by the amount of items he had,’ said Waseca Police captain Kris Markeson, later adding that ‘he intended to do a great amount of harm.
‘The amount of thought and preparation he put into this, it’s very, very complete.’
Police found a notebook detailing minute by minute how he planned to carry out the plot – starting with gunning down his parents and sister before setting fire to a field to distract authorities while he stormed the school.
Officials declined to comment on what explosives he was using or how he obtained them outside of saying he found instructions to make the bombs on the internet.
High school horror: The teen planned to terrorize this high school and kill as many people as possible, officials said
They also did not elaborate on how he was able to obtain the guns despite being a minor.
LaDue was characterized by school superintendent Brian Dietz as a quiet, reserved, music playing kid who was on the honor roll and never got into trouble.
‘He had never been in trouble in school,’ said Dietz. ‘I do think that people are quite disturbed and shocked… it’s a disturbing thing.’
A video found by MailOnline that is believed to be of LaDue playing a guitar showed a stone faced, shaggy light-brown-haired teen with a baseball cap on playing Bach.
It is not being shown because the 17-year-old has been charged as a minor.
The attack was originally planned by the high school junior to happen on the 15th anniversary of the Columbine killings, but April 20 fell on Easter Sunday this year.
He intended to soon carry out the attack, officials said.
Police believe he acted alone, and have not uncovered any evidence to suggest otherwise.
Markeson was unable to confirm or deny if the teen suffered from any mental illness.
LaDue has been ‘very cooperative,’ Markeson said before declining to comment on whether a church window possibly blown out by a bomb earlier this year was caused by the troubled teen.
The bombs found in melting snow at Hartley Elementary school were made with CO2 cartridges and posed no threat to students, said Markeson.
‘One had been previously lit and could not be ignited.’
The guitar playing teen has admitted to setting bombs off around the small town ‘to perfect them’ before carrying out what would have been a horrific attack.
Court hearing: The teen appeared at this courthouse Thursday to be charged with 10 counts
He instead faces four counts of premeditated murder and is sitting in a juvenile detention facility far from the weapons he planed to use to cause mass destruction tin a rampage on his high school.
A person identified only as Cathy who answered the phone at the storage facility said the locker was not rented by him but was is in good standing through May.
The agreement will be revoked by the end of the month, 'as soon as I can get the paperwork together... because i don't feel comfortable [with the person keeping the locker],' said Cathy.
She would not disclose if the storage unit was rented by a family member or a friend outside of saying only that it was someone over the age of 18.
Authorities repeatedly praised the individual who called 911 in the minutes before the arrest.
‘A citizen did what they should do,’ said Srp. ‘Be vigilant and pay attention to take care of each other.’
Read more: