ANAHEIM, Calif. - Two California teens were arrested after police said they were overheard planning a school shooting "bigger than Columbine."
Fullerton Police posted via their Facebook page Wednesday that the two 16-year-old boys, whose names were not released since they are juveniles, were arrested at about 9:30 a.m. for suspicion of planning a possible school shooting at Troy High School in Fullerton.
A school resource officer told police that a reporting party said they overheard the two teens Tuesday discussing plans to "shoot up" the school while at an athletic event Tuesday, Fullerton Police Department Sgt. Jon Radus said.
The two reportedly also described their plans as "bigger than Columbine," and discussed the effectiveness of various weapons for their plans.
The school resource officer reported the incident to Troy High School Administration and Fullerton Joint Union High School District officials, who were able to identify the students from photos.
Police said their initial investigation found that the two boys did make comments similar to those reported and had researched school shootings, including Columbine, and various weapons as recently as Tuesday.
Search warrants were issued and multiple arrests were made in Anaheim, Sgt. Radus said.
Both students have been detained for making criminal threats and conspiracy to commit a felony. They were released into the custody of Orange County Juvenile Hall.
Police are currently investigating the incident.
"The reporting party in this incident may have saved countless lives, and untold heartache for an unknown number of families, simply by reporting to police what was overheard," Sgt. Radus said, adding the arrests were a reminder that if "you see something, say something."
