Teen Sentenced After Friend Tips Off FBI to Shooting Plan

A 19-year-old Indiana woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder after a friend reported her alleged plan for a mass shooting, People reports. Trinity Shockley, who authorities say intended to target Mooresville High School, was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison, with eight years suspended, and five years of probation.

Shockley, arrested in February after the friend tipped off the FBI’s Sandy Hook tip line, apologized in court to both an intended target and the broader community. “I am so sorry I put you in that position of fear,” she said, adding that her mental health has improved since being “surrounded by people that care about me.”

Authorities revealed that Shockley had access to an AR-15, had ordered a bulletproof vest, and expressed admiration for Nikolas Cruz, the perpetrator of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting. She previously described herself as a victim of bullying and said she had attempted to seek mental health help, but her father would not allow it, WFYI reports.

Her attorney, Joseph Gaunt, argued that Shockley never intended to carry out the attack, saying, “She knew she couldn’t do it, but she kept talking about it. That’s what makes this case hard.” Investigators noted that Shockley used a male alias on Snapchat and Discord when discussing the shooting plan, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Morgan County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Cassie Mellady called the sentence a “fair outcome,” citing the extensive planning involved. After the sentencing, the FBI’s Indianapolis office emphasized that the case serves as a “powerful reminder that when the public speaks up, lives can be saved.” Shockley was arrested on February 12—just two days before the anniversary of the Parkland shooting and the day she had planned to carry out her attack.

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