Cops arrest suspect allegedly planning to shoot up multiple Colorado schools

Apr 07, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Digital Producer)

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Law enforcement in Colorado say a mass school shooting has been prevented after a 19-year-old suspect was arrested. A manifesto allegedly reveals detailed plans to carry out multiple school shootings in Colorado Springs.

The arrest comes less than two weeks after a school shooter killed three students and three faculty members at a Nashville Christian academy.

While details from the Nashville shooter’s manifesto have yet to be released, the public is getting a look inside the Colorado suspect’s mind through her manifesto.

According to an affidavit, 19-year-old William Whitworth, a transgender woman who goes by “Lilly,” has been charged with attempted murder for threatening to shoot up schools in Colorado Springs. The suspect was a former student at schools on her list to shoot up.

A sibling of Whitworth’s called police to report their sister had threatened to carry out a school shooting. Investigators found a manifesto, a dry-erase board with sophisticated floor plans and suicidal notes.

Whitworth had been planning the school shooting for more than a month, writing a four-page manifesto, targeting schools and churches.

Police found research on explosive devices, firearms training, and how to 3D print weapons. They also found a list of names of the individuals Whitworth planned to kill, and a list of schools she planned to target.

During an interview with police, an officer asked Whitworth why she was going to shoot up a school. Whitworth reportedly replied by saying “why does anyone do it.”

When asked if she was really going to carry out the shooting, Whitworth nodded her head, indicating yes. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2023.

Whitworth is being held on a $75,000 bond.

Tags: Colorado, Colorado Springs, Guns, Nashville, School Shooting

KARAH RUCKER: LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COLORADO SAY A MASS SCHOOL SHOOTING HAS BEEN PREVENTED AFTER A 19 YEAR OLD SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED.

A MANIFESTO ALLEGEDLY REVEALS DETAILED PLANS TO CARRY OUT MULTIPLE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

THE ARREST COMES LESS THAN TWO WEEKS SINCE A SCHOOL SHOOTER KILLED THREE STUDENTS AND THREE FACULTY MEMBERS AT A NASHVILLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY.

WHILE DETAILS FROM THE NASHVILLE SHOOTER’S MANIFESTO HAVE YET TO BE RELEASED – WE’RE GETTING A LOOK INSIDE THE COLORADO SUSPECT’S MIND THROUGH HER MANIFESTO.

ACCORDING TO AN AFFIDAVIT – 19 YEAR OLD WILLIAM WHITWORTH – A TRANSGENDER WHO GOES BY “LILLY” – HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR THREATENING TO SHOOT UP SCHOOLS IN COLORADO SPRINGS. THE SUSPECT WAS A FORMER STUDENT AT SCHOOLS ON HER LIST TO SHOOT UP.

A SIBLING OF WHITWORTH’S CALLED POLICE TO REPORT THEIR SISTER HAD THREATENED TO CARRY OUT A SCHOOL SHOOTING. INVESTIGATORS FOUND A MANIFESTO, A DRY-ERASE BOARD WITH SOPHISTICATED FLOOR PLANS, AND SUICIDAL NOTES.

WHITWORTH HAD BEEN PLANNING THE SCHOOL SHOOTING FOR MORE THAN A MONTH – WRITING A FOUR-PAGE MANIFESTO – TARGETING SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

POLICE FOUND RESEARCH ON EXPLOSIVE DEVICES – FIREARMS TRAININGS AND HOW TO 3D PRINT WEAPONS – A LIST OF INDIVIDUALS TO BE KILLED – AND A LIST OF SCHOOLS TO TARGET.

DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH POLICE – AN OFFICER ASKED WHITWORTH WHY SHE WAS GOING TO SHOOT UP A SCHOOL. WHITWORTH REPORTEDLY REPLIED SAYING QUOTE “WHY DOES ANYONE DO IT.”

WHEN ASKED IF SHE WAS REALLY GOING TO CARRY OUT THE SHOOTING – WHITWORTH NODDED HER HEAD INDICATING YES. A PRELIMINARY HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY FIFTH.

WHITWORTH IS BEING HELD ON A 75 THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND.