Kettering teen charged with felony who said he was 'going to be the future shooter'
Jan. 18—A Kettering student who told his classmates he was "going to be the future shooter" at Van Buren Middle School is charged with a felony, Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. announced Tuesday.
The 14-year-old eighth-grader made the statement to other students, who contacted the Kettering Police Department School Resource Officer on Dec. 16.
The SRO also learned that the teen said he was going to shoot up the school and was seen looking at firearms on his Chromebook. The boy's search history revealed that he had searched terms such as "how to be a good school shooter" and firearms such as "sniper rifles" and "assault rifles," according to the prosecutor's office.
Heck said his office takes such threats seriously to ensure the safety of students, teachers and others.
"The facts of this case are especially concerning, given the actions this defendant took including his statements and research," Heck said. "This was clearly not just a juvenile prank, but a serious threat."
The teen was charged on Jan. 7 with one count of inducing panic, a second-degree felony. He was arrested Jan. 11 and booked into the Montgomery County Juvenile Justice Center.
He was released Jan. 12 on electronic home monitoring and is scheduled to return to court Jan. 26 for a pretrial hearing.
The Dayton Daily News is not naming the teen because his case is in juvenile court.
