Tampa Police: We Stopped School Massacre

Teen Jared Cano accused of plotting to bomb school next week
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 17, 2011 12:46 PM CDT
Tampa Police Uncover Teen Jared Cano's Plot to Bomb High School
A Florida teen plotted to bomb his school next week, say police.   (Shutterstock)

Authorities in Tampa say they busted up a teen's Columbine-level plot to attack his former high school, reports the St. Petersburg Times. Police arrested a 17-year-old expelled student who had a cache of bomb-making materials at his home and a journal detailing his plans to bomb Freedom High School on the first day of school next week and kill more victims than the two Columbine assailants did in 1999—13.

"We were probably able to thwart potentially a catastrophic event the likes of which Tampa has not seen," said the local police chief. "And hopefully never will." A tipster alerted police to the plot yesterday morning, notes ABC News. The suspect, Jared Cano, faces a host of felony charges—including marijuana cultivation. Police say they also found a sophisticated pot-growing operation in his room. (More bomb threat stories.)

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