Maryland Trans Teen Arrested for Planning School Shooting — Cops Find 130-Page Manifesto
An 18-year-old transgender individual, Andrea Ye, whose preferred name is Alex, was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly planning a school shooting at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, with the intention of gaining fame, according to police who found a 129-page "manifesto" authored by Ye.
Ye faces charges of making threats of mass violence after law enforcement discovered a document in which she "writes about committing a school shooting, and strategizes how to carry out the act," as described by the authorities.
In the manifesto, Ye purportedly expressed a desire to achieve notoriety and contemplated targeting an elementary school because "little kids make easier targets."
Although Ye initially referred to the manifesto as "fiction," she later described it as "his memoir," according to court documents.
Montgomery County Public Schools stated that Ye is an active student at Wootton High School but has been participating in virtual classes since 2022 and hasn't physically attended campus.
Police noted that Ye's sex is female but she uses male pronouns.
After the FBI alerted Montgomery County Police about the manifesto, authorities obtained a search warrant and discovered internet searches, drawings, and documents related to threats of mass violence.
Ye included a disclaimer in the document stating that it doesn’t "represent the author’s beliefs," but a witness, who contacted authorities in early March, expressed concerns about the manifesto's resemblance to Ye's writing style.
The witness believed that Ye was prepared to carry out a mass shooting imminently based on the writings.
Authorities mentioned that the manifesto contains both fictional and non-fictional elements.
According to court documents, a witness informed police that Ye's "memoir" featured a transgender main character named "James Wang" who faced bullying and other personal issues.
Ye reportedly discussed "cherry-picking classrooms that are the easiest targets" in the manifesto and expressed acknowledgment of the unethical and selfish nature of her plan.
Court records also reveal social media posts and internet searches by Ye related to firearms and phrases like "But, I do recognize that my plan is fully unethical. It’s selfish and evil."
Ye was arrested and is currently held in Montgomery County Jail pending a bond hearing. She has not entered a plea yet.
The court documents indicate Ye's history of inpatient care for mental health issues and previous hospitalization for making threats related to a school shooting. Ye had openly expressed thoughts of violence and had been evaluated for homicidal and suicidal ideation.