MOORESVILLE — Trinity Shockley, the former Mooresville High School student who plotted a Valentine's Day shooting, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Eight years of the possible 20-year prison term were suspended. When she is released from prison, Shockley will serve five years of probation with mandatory treatment.
The now 19-year-old received the sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, under a negotiated agreement in Morgan Superior Court.
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The case began in February when the FBI's Sandy Hook tip line received an anonymous report about a local high school student planning a shooting for Valentine's Day. Investigators traced online messages on Discord where Shockley, using the username "crazynickolaz" allegedly wrote, "Parkland part two. Of course, I've been planning this for a YEAR."
Court documents revealed that Shockley expressed admiration for mass shooters and had created a collage featuring Nikolas Cruz, Dylan Roof and Andrew Blaze. Police found notebooks in Shockley's room containing what they described as homicidal thoughts, including "I want to hurt others. All of these minorities are useless."
During the investigation, Shockley initially told police the plan would occur during lunchtime and was motivated by wanting to prove they were Cruz's "number one fan." Shockley later claimed to be joking about the threats.
Under the strict terms of the plea agreement, Shockley is permanently banned from all Morgan County school properties and events. The defendant must continue mental health treatment and cannot research or view materials related to school shooters. Probation officers will monitor all electronic devices to ensure compliance.
Shockley is also prohibited from owning firearms due to the felony conviction and must maintain a no-contact order throughout the entire sentence and probation period.
In court, Trinity Shockley said she no longer admires Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland School shooter from 2018.
She said she was fascinated with Cruz and other school shooters in the past, and although she was planning a shooting at Mooresville High School, she said she could've never actually committed the crime.
"It could have been very tragic. I mean, there's hundreds of kids that go to this school," said Mooresville Police officer Andrew Ballard.
Shockley said she was bullied at Mooresville High. Court records say Shockley reached out for mental health help, but without parental consent, the prosecutor's office says the request was not granted.
Shockley said she joined a true crime community on social media in 2022. It was there that she became attracted to Nickolas Cruz.
Shockley said she started planning a shooting at lunch time at the high school with a co-conspirator she met online.
Screenshots showed a countdown to February 14, 2025. It was a plan that mimicked Cruz's Valentine's Day shooting.
"There was a significant amount of planning in this case," said Cassie Mellady, Morgan County Deputy Prosecutor.
The FBI received a tip through the Sandy Hook Promise "Say Something" line. Agents, along with the Mooresville Police Department, stepped in and arrested Shockley.
"She was convicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, so the actual murder didn't have to occur. It's just the agreement and the planning that was the crime that she plead guilty to," said Mellady.
Shockley did not have a gun when she was arrested, but police said they found a vest and a gun belonging to her father inside their apartment.
She also had pictures of guns used by mass shooters, with their faces plastered on her bedroom wall.
"There were a lot of pictures and research on her phone relating to that," said Mellady.
The judge said she felt red flags were ignored by the family and others who should have intervened. She told Shockley she still needed to be held accountable for her actions.
Shockley was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but will serve 12 years at the Indiana Department of Correction.
"When she's released, she will have five years of probation. The remainder of her sentence is suspended. So eight years is suspended of the 20 upfront, assuming she complies with probation," said Mellady.
Her father, Timothy, family and attorney had no comment following the sentence.
The judge told Shockley that she is concerned about her mental health and that it is going to be a lifelong challenge for Shockley. Part of Shockley's sentence and probation includes seeking mental health treatment.
The judge said she is going to be monitoring that very strictly throughout her sentence.
"When you talk about doing something like that, we will take it very seriously, and you will be prosecuted. I can't thank the prosecutor's office enough for the effort they put in, along with our detectives, the FBI, and the other assisting agencies that helped with that," said Officer Ballard.
FBI Indianapolis: Shockley Sentencing Underscores Seriousness of School Threats
“The FBI takes every threat to our schools seriously, and today’s sentencing of Trinity Shockley reflects the very real consequences for anyone who intends to carry out violence against our communities. In this case, a tip submitted to the Sandy Hook Promise ‘Say Something’ line was quickly relayed to the FBI, allowing us to coordinate immediately with the Mooresville Police Department. Their swift response ensured this threat was stopped before anyone was harmed.
This case is a powerful reminder that when the public speaks up, lives can be saved. We are grateful for the partnership of the Mooresville Police Department and for the individual who reported their concerns.
We remain committed to working with our partners to protect our schools and to hold accountable those who threaten them.
If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, please contact law enforcement or submit a tip to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov [tips.fbi.gov].”
