SHELBY COUNTY — A 17-year-old student has been charged as an adult in connection with an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at Morristown Jr./Sr. High School in Shelby County on May 25, 2026.
Alexis Pickett faces one count of attempted murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, and one count of intimidation, according to court documents filed December 29.
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The investigation reveals Pickett had been planning the attack with accomplices from other states and created a detailed video mapping the school's layout, including entrances, hallways, and the cafeteria.
The investigation began on December 5 when Pickett's mother contacted the Rush County Sheriff's Department, reporting concerning behavior and warning signs that her daughter might be planning to harm others at school.
"Obviously, it's very scary to hear that something like this could be planned in your area," Shelby County Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen said. "But very relieved that it was caught, that it was reported."
Pickett's obsession with mass violence was extensive. Court documents show she was heavily involved in the "True Crime Community" (TCC) - online groups that obsess over mass killings and have been linked to at least 15 school shootings since 2024.
She had a particular fixation on the 1999 Columbine massacre. Investigators found multiple photos and videos of the Columbine shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, and a hand-drawn picture of them on her phone.
She even dressed as a school shooter for Halloween, mimicking a character from the movie "Zero Day" who wore an army shirt during the fictional attack, the affidavit revealed.
Investigators found a video on Pickett's phone from November 2025 showing various parts of Morristown High School with annotations identifying key locations.
Pickett told investigators the video was created to show a contact named "Nathan" the school's layout for the planned attack. Nathan has since been identified as a 17-year-old from Mississippi who planned to travel to Indiana under the pretense of attending Pickett's graduation.
Screenshots from Pickett's phone show detailed conversations about the planned attack, including discussions about livestreaming the event and using firearms belonging to family members.
The plot involved coordinated planning through encrypted messaging platforms and detailed discussions about weapons access.
Pickett was initially hospitalized for evaluation after expressing both homicidal and suicidal thoughts. During interviews, investigators say she admitted that without intervention, "I would have killed people and I would have killed myself."
Landwerlen hopes the case serves as a reminder to parents about staying involved in their children's lives.
"You can't come forward if you don't know about it," Landwerlen said. "You need to stay apprised of what your child's involved in, and that's an easy one to do, to check."
Court records show Pickett is being held on a $1 million cash bond. She is scheduled for a juvenile detention hearing Jan. 29.
