Parents turn in own son to stop Michigan school shooting plot

PAW PAW, Michigan -- A 15-year-old Michigan student accused of plotting a shooting at his high school was turned in by his own parents.

The boy, who is not being named because he is a minor, allegedly told his stepfather he had hatched a plan to shoot classmates because he was being bullied, WOOD-TV reports.

"He came to us and said that he's been really upset and that he's been planning to do something bad," his stepfather said. "It was a big shock."

After the teen's alleged confession, his mother and father took the boy to the sheriff's office.

The teen was arraigned Monday afternoon on eight criminal charges, including two counts of larceny of firearms; two counts of possession of a short-barreled shotgun or rifle; two counts of felony firearm; a felony count of attempted manufacture of explosives; and a misdemeanor count of possession of a Molotov cocktail explosive device.

School officials cancelled classes as investigators worked to learn more about the teen's plot.

According to his family, the situation began to fester when a photo of the teen in his underwear taken last summer somehow began to circulate at school.

Bullies allegedly "shoved him into lockers, punched him in the throat (and) knocked him down with no remorse," his stepfather said. "Since that point, it's just been relentless."

His stepfather also said "he wanted to blow the school up on top of" those who had hurt him.

Sheriff Daniel Abbott praised the boy's parents, who he said helped prevent a "very close call."

The sheriff's office believes the plot was going to be carried out Monday.

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