Maryland High School Student Arrested for Detailed Plan of School Shooting

Rockville, Maryland United States of America
Evidence of internet searches related to gun ranges, AR-15 rifles, and murder-suicide found on electronic devices
Individual who met Ye at a psychiatric facility reported student's desire to be famous and shoot up Wootton High School and Lakewood Elementary School
Maryland high school student Alex Ye was arrested for planning a school shooting
Student had a 129-page detailed plan with drawings and maps of Wootton High School
Student had previously been hospitalized for homicidal and suicidal ideations in December 2022 and March 2023
Maryland High School Student Arrested for Detailed Plan of School Shooting

A high school student in Maryland was arrested and charged with threatening mass violence after authorities discovered a detailed plan for a school shooting, according to multiple reports.

Alex Ye, an 18-year-old student from Wootton High School in Rockville, was taken into custody on April 19 following the discovery of a 129-page document detailing his plans to carry out the attack. The document reportedly included drawings and maps of the school as well as strategies for executing the shooting.

According to Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), Ye had previously been hospitalized for homicidal and suicidal ideations in December 2022 and March 2023. In addition, authorities found evidence of internet searches related to gun ranges, AR-15 assault-style rifles, and murder-suicide on electronic devices recovered from Ye's home.

The threat was first brought to the attention of law enforcement by an individual who had met Ye at a psychiatric facility. The individual reported that Ye had expressed a desire to be famous and had discussed wanting to shoot up Wootton High School and Lakewood Elementary School.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) released a statement saying they were aware of the arrest and that the student in question had not physically attended classes since fall 2022. The school system expressed appreciation for the close collaboration between MCPS and MCPD in addressing potential threats.

Ye is being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit awaiting a bond hearing. It is unclear if he has an attorney at this time.

The arrest comes amid heightened concerns over school safety following a series of mass shootings across the country. In response, Montgomery County police and Montgomery County Public Schools have increased security measures at schools in the area.


Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image

Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if the individual who reported Ye's threats had firsthand knowledge or was just relaying information they had heard from others.
  • The article mentions that Ye had previously been hospitalized for homicidal and suicidal ideations, but it does not specify whether he was a patient at the psychiatric facility where he allegedly made the threats.

Sources

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Maryland high school student arrested after authorities discovered a 129-page document detailing school shooting plan, police say

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Chris Boyette, Friday, 19 April 2024 02:28
  • Unique Points
    • Maryland high school student Alex Ye was arrested and charged with threat of mass violence
    • A 129-page document detailing school shooting plans was discovered by authorities
    • Ye had previously been hospitalized for homicidal ideations in December 2022 and suicidal ideations in March 2023
  • Accuracy
    • The document contained strategies for carrying out the act and references to targeting an elementary school
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

58%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Call to police in Baltimore area leads to arrest of Rockville student accused of school threat plot

WBAL-TV News Station Baltimore MD USA David Collins Thursday, 18 April 2024 22:17
  • Unique Points
    • 18-year-old Alex Yee is a transgender Asian male.
    • The suspect had previously been hospitalized in 2022 for threatening to shoot up a school and was released in January 2023 but continued to have homicidal and suicidal thoughts.
    • Police found a 129-page manifesto detailing the suspect's plans, including shooting up specific classrooms at Wootton High School, using an AR-15 gun, and considering making bombs.
  • Accuracy
    • 18-year-old Alex Yee was arrested for making threats of a mass school shooting at Wootton High School and Lakewood Elementary School.
    • ,
  • Deception (0%)
    The author makes editorializing statements and uses emotional manipulation by expressing fear and concern for the safety of students. The article also includes selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of the suspect being a threat.
    • My ultimate goal would be to set the world record for the most amount of kills in a shooting.
    • , police say He was released in January 2023 but was still preoccupied with self harming school shootings and explosives.
    • I think it's a very scary thing to happen, knowing that we went to school with this person.
  • Fallacies (0%)
    The author makes several statements that contain inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to emotion. He also quotes individuals making statements that could be considered appeals to authority. Additionally, the author's use of language such as 'scary thing', 'very scary thing', and 'evil mastermind' are examples of emotional loaded language which can manipulate the reader's emotions. The author also states that witnesses say the suspect's book mirrors his life, but this is not a fallacy in itself as it is a statement of fact made by others. However, the author does not provide any evidence to support this claim himself and therefore it could be considered an appeal to authority if taken at face value. The author also quotes the suspect making statements about wanting to shoot up schools and commit mass shootings, which are clear threats and not fallacies.
    • IT DEFINITELY WORRIES ME ON WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TOMORROW OR THE DAY AFTER THAT.
    • I THINK IT'S A VERY SCARY THING TO HAPPEN, KNOWING THAT WE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THIS PERSON.
    • THE GUN IS AN AR 15. THIS GUN IS GOING TO CHANGE LIVES TOMORROW.
    • I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SNEAK THE GUN IN.
    • I HAVE CONTEMPLATED MAKING BOMBS. THE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THEM ARE SURPRISINGLY AVAILABLE ONLINE.
    • MY ULTIMATE GOAL WOULD BE TO SET THE WORLD RECORD FOR THE MOST AMOUNT OF KILLS IN A SHOOTING.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Teen threatened Montgomery County school shooting, police say

NBC Washington Darcy Spencer, Friday, 19 April 2024 05:53
  • Unique Points
    • Alex Ye, 18, was arrested and charged with threats of mass violence in Montgomery County, Maryland
    • He considered targeting Thomas S. Wootton High School and Lakewood Elementary School
    • Searches for gun ranges, information on AR-15 assault-style rifles, and murder-suicide were found on electronic devices recovered from Ye’s home
  • Accuracy
    • Alex Ye was arrested and charged with threats of mass violence in Montgomery County, Maryland
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

74%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Maryland teen charged with planning school shooting after police review writings, internet searches

The Associated Press News Thursday, 18 April 2024 21:50
  • Unique Points
    • An 18-year-old Maryland high school student was charged with planning a school shooting after investigators reviewed his writings and internet searches.
    • The student was arrested by the Montgomery County Police Department.
  • Accuracy
    • A person contacted police in the Baltimore area, alerting them to the student's writings which were labeled as fictional but believed to be based on the student’s life.
    • Recent searches included queries about gun ranges and prison sentences.
  • Deception (10%)
    The article reports on an 18-year-old Maryland high school student who was charged with planning to commit a school shooting based on their writings and internet searches. The author does not make any editorializing or pontification statements, but the article does contain selective reporting by only mentioning the incriminating evidence against the student and not providing any context or information that may mitigate their actions. Additionally, there is no clear indication of peer-reviewed studies being cited in this science and health article.
    • The writings, which the teen called a memoir, spanned 129 pages and included an account of a character who plans a school shooting but ultimately is taken into law enforcement custody and then receives psychiatric treatment.
    • Some recent searches included queries about gun ranges, prison sentences and a long list of past school shootings.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a dichotomous depiction and an appeal to authority. It presents the writings as either entirely fictional or based on the teen's life, without acknowledging other possible interpretations. Additionally, it references social media messages and posts by the teen as evidence of a desire to become famous by committing a school shooting, which is an appeal to authority using the words of the subject.
    • . . .but investigators wrote that they believed the document was based on the teen’s life, not entirely fictional.
    • Police later obtained a search warrant and uncovered “internet searches, drawings and documents related to threats of mass violence.”
    • Social media messages and posts by the teen also reference a desire to become famous by committing a school shooting, police wrote in charging documents.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

80%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Maryland teen threatened to ‘shoot up’ Wootton High School, police say

The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Dan Morse Thursday, 18 April 2024 15:56
  • Unique Points
    • Maryland teenager Alex Ye was charged with threatening mass violence for writing a 129-page memoir that described shooting up a high school and elementary school.
    • Handmade drawings of a shooter labeled ‘me’ and others were found on Ye’s phone.
    • Ye had previously written about homicidal ideation and suicidal ideation, and had been hospitalized for mental health issues multiple times since late 2022.
  • Accuracy
    • ,
  • Deception (30%)
    The article by Dan Morse contains several examples of deceptive practices. Firstly, the author uses selective reporting by only mentioning details that support his position of the teenager's alleged threat to shoot up a high school. He fails to mention that there is no indication in the court records that Ye had any specific plans or firearms to carry out such an attack. Additionally, Morse quotes multiple passages from the book written by Ye and labels it as a 'memoir,' but he does not disclose that these are direct quotes from the book and not his own assertions. This is a form of deception by omission.
    • As I walk through the hallways, I cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets.
    • A Maryland teenager was charged with threatening mass violence after investigators in Montgomery County found a 129-page ‘memoir’ the 18-year-old had written that described shooting up a high school and elementary school, according to court documents filed Thursday.
    • I have also considered shooting up my former elementary school because little kids make easier targets.
    • The story focused on a transgender main character being bullied in school and other issues that [the acquaintance] believed were directly from Ye’s life and not indicative of fiction.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (80%)
    The author Dan Morse does not demonstrate any clear bias in the article. However, there are a few instances where the language used could be perceived as having a slight slant towards sensationalism. For example, the phrase 'threatened to shoot up' Wootton High School and 'recently increased their presence outside the building as a deterrent' could be seen as implying that there is an imminent danger or threat to the school. Additionally, the author mentions that Ye had attended Wootton High School but had not been physically present since fall 2022 and was continuing his education virtually through the county's Online Pathways to Graduation program. This information could be seen as relevant to understanding the context of the situation but is not explicitly stated as such, which could potentially give readers a skewed perception of the situation. However, overall, there is no clear bias in the article.
    • High school's the best target.
      • ]I’m the most familiar with the layout. I know where the doors with windows are, and it’s the most convenient to enter.[/
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication