A 19-year-old New Braunfels resident, Cameron Peterson, faces serious charges after the FBI received a tip-off about his potential plans for a school shooting, as per a KENS5 report. The tipster alleged Peterson "idolizes violence and school shootings," and detailed so in journals that discussed his potential plans.
The Emergency arrest occurred on June 5 after Peterson tried twice to buy firearms, once in January and again on May 31, and he was denied because of his age, the specific firearm, and due to being flagged by the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) for providing false information, the Express-News shared. Alongside, Trevin Wayne Michael Boone, another 19-year-old from San Antonio, was also arrested in June under the suspicion of making online threats to commit mass violence.
The indictments against Peterson include counts of attempted purchase of a firearm and making false statements on a firearms purchase application, where he ostensibly lied about his marijuana usage and residential address which is a crime that compounded with his suspected intentions escalates the gravity of these proceedings, according to the information obtained by KENS5. Boone, on a separate but equally concerning matter, allegedly made a social media post threatening to take his life and others, his charges are reflected in an indictment for interstate communication of a threat.
Authorities and experts praise the importance of community vigilance, calling individuals who report such threats heroes because they potentially prevent imminent tragedy, a retired FBI agent told KENS5, "Law enforcement is very dependent on the public. The life you save may be your own or someone very close to you, you just don’t know. It's that age-old saying; if you see something, say something." The authorities handling this evolving situation continue to remind the public that any suspicious activity or threat can be reported to the FBI via email at tips.fbi.gov or by calling the San Antonio FBI office.
