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Friend’s Tip to FBI Stopped Planned Mooresville High Attack — Teen Sentenced to 12 Years

Trinity Shockley, 19, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced on Nov. 24 to 20 years with eight years suspended — effectively 12 years in prison plus five years probation for plotting a Feb. 14 attack at Mooresville High School. The plot was uncovered after a friend alerted the FBI’s Sandy Hook tip line, reporting access to an AR-15 and a bulletproof vest and noting admiration for the Parkland shooter. Shockley apologized in court and said her mental health has improved; her attorney maintained she never intended to carry out the plan.

01:54 AM, 12/01/2025Security
Friend’s Tip to FBI Stopped Planned Mooresville High Attack — Teen Sentenced to 12 Years

Trinity Shockley, 19, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for plotting a mass shooting at Mooresville High School. On Nov. 24 she received a 20-year prison sentence with eight years suspended — effectively 12 years behind bars — followed by five years of supervised probation.

In court, Shockley became emotional and apologized to an intended target and the wider community, saying, "I am so sorry I put you in that position of fear." She also told the court her mental health has improved since receiving support from people around her.

How the plot was uncovered

The plan was interrupted when a friend reported concerns to the FBI’s Sandy Hook tip line. According to a probable-cause affidavit, the tipster said Shockley — then a 12th-grade student — had been planning an attack for Feb. 14, claimed to have "access to an AR-15" and had "just ordered a bulletproof vest," and expressed admiration for the 2018 Parkland shooter.

Legal perspectives

Shockley’s attorney, Joseph Gaunt, said his client never intended to carry out the attack, describing much of the case as statements rather than concrete actions. Prosecutors noted, however, that the investigation showed significant planning, and Morgan County officials described the sentence as appropriate to the level of preparation uncovered by investigators.

The FBI’s Indianapolis office called the case a "powerful reminder that when the public speaks up, lives can be saved," emphasizing the impact of timely reporting on preventing potential violence.

The case highlights continuing concerns about school safety, adolescent mental health and the role of observers — classmates, friends and family — in recognizing and reporting troubling behavior before it escalates.

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