School shootings have become sickeningly common in the United States. From Columbine to Virginia Tech to the deadly attack that tore apart Oregon's Umpqua Community College earlier this month, students have chosen their own schools as staging grounds for murder and mayhem.
There have been more than 40 such school shootings across America this year. In most cases, the shooter has been a male in his late teens or early to mid 20s.
Now a case in Dallas is breaking that pattern - but for a devastating reason.
The possible school shooting plot, though thwarted, has nonetheless shocked people in Dallas due to the suspect's age.
The pre-teen's alleged plot is all the more stunning because of the apparently meticulous manner in which he allegedly planned the attack.
Local TV station WFAA described the diagram as "a detailed map of how he would carry out his attack."
That's when the classmate told school administrators, who found the diagram in the 12-year-old's hand and contacted police.
"This young man was very courageous. He did what he needed to do to protect himself and his classmates, and he is to be commended for that," Blankenbaker said, according to NBC 5.
"An average person would see this diagram and it could give them grave concern," he said. "A reasonable person would see this diagram and they would believe that he intended to carry out his threats."
The boy's name has not been released due to his age. He has been charged with exhibition of firearms, a third-degree felony, for the alleged plot even though it's unclear if he actually had access to a weapon.
It's also unclear if he will be charged as an adult. He is currently locked up at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center, according to NBC 5.
The juvenile's arrest was the second such incident in a Dallas-area school in little over a week. On Oct. 20, a 15-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot up North Forney High School, according to the Dallas Morning News. The teen reportedly told friends he planned to bring a gun to school the next day.
"The student showed a written diagram detailing how his plan was going to be carried out" said Chief Blankenbaker.
There have been more than 40 such school shootings across America this year. In most cases, the shooter has been a male in his late teens or early to mid 20s.
Now a case in Dallas is breaking that pattern - but for a devastating reason.
The possible school shooting plot, though thwarted, has nonetheless shocked people in Dallas due to the suspect's age.
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The pre-teen's alleged plot is all the more stunning because of the apparently meticulous manner in which he allegedly planned the attack.
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Local TV station WFAA described the diagram as "a detailed map of how he would carry out his attack."
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That's when the classmate told school administrators, who found the diagram in the 12-year-old's hand and contacted police.
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"This young man was very courageous. He did what he needed to do to protect himself and his classmates, and he is to be commended for that," Blankenbaker said, according to NBC 5.
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"An average person would see this diagram and it could give them grave concern," he said. "A reasonable person would see this diagram and they would believe that he intended to carry out his threats."
The boy's name has not been released due to his age. He has been charged with exhibition of firearms, a third-degree felony, for the alleged plot even though it's unclear if he actually had access to a weapon.
It's also unclear if he will be charged as an adult. He is currently locked up at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center, according to NBC 5.
The juvenile's arrest was the second such incident in a Dallas-area school in little over a week. On Oct. 20, a 15-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot up North Forney High School, according to the Dallas Morning News. The teen reportedly told friends he planned to bring a gun to school the next day.
"The student showed a written diagram detailing how his plan was going to be carried out" said Chief Blankenbaker.
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