High School Student Charged in Mariemont School Shooting Conspiracy: Latest Updates

A Mariemont High School student has been arrested and charged in connection with a school shooting conspiracy, according to reports.

Law enforcement has not announced any charges against the individual accused of communicating with the Mariemont teen about the alleged plot to attack the school.

The arrested 14-year-old student remains detained at the Hamilton County Youth Center, with the next hearing scheduled for Feb. 21.

Prosecutors revealed that the student had compiled a list of students and teachers to target and intended to acquire a firearm from his home.

A press conference held by Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers shed light on the disturbing details of the plot. Powers presented a series of text messages exchanged between the teen and a 20-year-old man.

In the released texts, the conversations imply the teen’s belief that the man would carry out the attack, while the teen provided names of potential targets. The teen repeatedly asked about the timing of the attack, expressing a preference not to be on school grounds when it happened.

In a statement, released by the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office, the defense team highlighted the teen’s substantial mental health challenges and autism spectrum disorder. The defense argued that the teen lacked access to firearms and was vulnerable to the influence of the adult accused of predatory behavior.

Mariemont High School is located east of Cincinnati and caters to approximately 500 students. The village of Mariemont, covering an area of less than a square mile, is home to around 3,500 residents.

Authorities in Colorado Springs and the Denver FBI are in contact with the adult suspect and keeping a close watch over their activities. So far, no charges have been filed against the man in Hamilton County. Jurisdictional matters need to be determined by Mariemont police, local authorities, and federal authorities before charges can be brought forward.