19-year-old charged with plotting shootings at Colorado Springs school, churches
On Thursday, authorities charged 19-year-old William Whitworth with two counts of attempted murder and other charges for allegedly forming a plot to conduct shootings at as many as three schools in Colorado Springs and possibly a church. According to a probable cause statement, suspect Whitworth, who identifies as female and goes by Lilly, was planning a shooting at the school she last attended in seventh grade — Timberview Middle School — before being switched to home schooling. In the arrest report, the suspect was referred to as Lilly and with she/her pronouns in its entirety after she was identified.
Elbert County deputies say they recovered a manifesto after getting a search warrant for the suspect's home in unincorporated Elbert County. She had written of finalizing locations at Timberview, Prairie Hills Elementary and Pine Creek High School, but also indicated churches as a target when talking to a deputy.
According to the arrest report, Whitworth's sister called authorities on March 31 and said Lilly had made a violent approach at her, had talked about a school shooting two days before and had severe anger issues.
Allison Cortez, a spokesperson for Colorado Springs Academy District 20, said the suspect's sister acted with "courage" by reporting a threat she saw, potentially averting disaster.
A neighbor told CBS News Colorado the family has lived in the home for two or three years, but unlike others in the area, they were reclusive. They rarely saw a mother and children outside. A sheriff's deputy indicates, upon reaching the home, they found it filled with trash, boxes and empty alcohol containers. Elbert County deputies had to go around to another door to reach the bedroom where they found the suspect sleeping on filthy sheets.
"Lilly was asked how much she had been planning the school shooting, and Lilly stated she's about a third of the way from doing it," wrote Elbert County Deputy Jeffrey Moore.
On a dry erase board in the home, Moore said there were drawings of what appeared to be a school's floor plan. In a manifesto, authorities say the suspect detailed the names of individuals to be killed, as well as information detailing the creation of improvised explosive devices and a list of firearms and how to 3D print them.
The suspect was in Elbert County jail on Thursday night after facing the two attempted murder charges as well as the felony charge of criminal misconduct and two misdemeanors, menacing and interfering with staff, faculty or students at an educational institution.
Whitworth is being held on a $75,000 bond.
