CORONA, Calif. — Two 15-year-old girls are accused of plotting a shooting at a Southern California high school, authorities said Tuesday. Police said the teens were arrested after investigators discovered months of online discussions about a potential attack.
According to a news release issued by the Corona Police Department, the teens are being held at a detention center on a conspiracy to commit murder charge.
FBI investigators notified police on Oct. 6 about social media communications suggesting a threat against Corona High School.
A “collaborative” investigation led to the arrest of a 15-year-old girl who attended the school, KTLA reported.
According to Corona police, detectives continued to pursue leads about the alleged plot. Investigators served search warrants involving electronic devices and searched several homes in Riverside County.
Police identified a second suspect, a 15-year-old girl who attended Norco High School, located about 12 miles from Corona, the news release stated.
Police said that evidence revealed the two girls had spent several months researching school shootings, KTLA reported.
The news release stated that the teens also discussed a potential attack at Corona High School at a future date.
Investigators said the girls also discussed ways to obtain weapons but had not been able to acquire any. None were found at their residences, according to KTLA.
No weapons are believed to be outstanding, Corona police Sgt. Brandon Palaoro told The Press-Enterprise.
The second teen was subsequently arrested, police said. Both suspects were arrested at their residences, according to the newspaper. No schools were placed on lockdown because of the investigation.
The school’s campus serves more than 2,000 students in grades 9 through 12, KTLA reported.
The investigation is ongoing. The Corona Police Department is working with the FBI, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office and Corona-Norco Unified School District on the case, according to the news release.
“The Corona Police Department is thankful to our law enforcement partners, both federally and locally, in assisting to safeguard our schools and community,” Palaoro said.