An 18-year-old from Falmouth has been arrested under suspicion of threatening to initiate a school shooting on Cape Cod. As announced by District Attorney Robert Galibois and Falmouth police Chief Jeff Lourie, with information detailed yesterday by the Boston 25 News and WCVB.
Ian Fotheringham, age 18, is facing a charge of threatened use of a deadly weapon in a public building after his suspicious behavior sparked concern amongst school safety monitors, alongside an alarming discovery of photos of the Columbine High School shooting on his cell phone, and a large 3D printer at his home which could manufacture a firearm, the local authorities say they took him into custody and subsequently arraigned him at the Barnstable District Court where a judge ordered him held without bail, he is scheduled to reappear in court on Tuesday.
The initial reports were received in August when "specifically, investigators were informed that allegedly Ian Fotheringham indicated that he wanted to shoot up a school," according to a statement obtained by WCVB. His home was searched, but at that time, no illegal firearms were found.
Concern escalated earlier this month when safety monitors saw a man, later identified as Fotheringham, walking in woods behind a Falmouth school and appearing to be "casing" the facility, bringing the case to the serious attention of the police who later arrested Fotheringham on Thursday, the district attorney's office praised the collaborative effort of local and state enforcement agencies in preventing potential tragedy with their swift response and shared commitment to community safety, in their statement.
In defense of Fotheringham, attorney Krysten Condon challenged the seriousness of the allegations, stating, "My client has not made any threats, nor has he harmed anyone. This is a case of exaggeration and speculation. I expect he will be found not guilty of the charges," according to a WCVB interview.
The investigation into the matter continues with the Massachusetts State Police Detectives Unit assigned to the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office working in conjunction with the Falmouth Police Department, as noted by the district attorney's office.
