Just a few short weeks after Jaylen Fryberg opened fire on a table full of his closest friends at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington state, we are learning that another school came close to having a similar tragedy. On Saturday, Nov. 1, 16-year-old Sash Alexander Nemphos was confronted by police after being a suspect in several Monkton, Maryland, area theft cases. The teen was clearly intoxicated at the time and unveiled a plan involving a gun that he was accused of stealing.
Nemphos claimed he was going to drive to school, shoot the officer who stands guard and then use his gun to kill as many kids and teachers as possible. He then told investigators he had originally intended to carry out his plan on Halloween because he had the gun in his backpack but had forgotten to bring several bombs he had built, so he postponed his plan. He chalked up his forgetfulness to being too drunk on that particular day.
Investigators finally obtained a search warrant for Nemphos's home and, once inside, recovered the stolen handgun as well as three crude, homemade explosives, a suicide note and a detailed journal documenting every step of his plan. Police concluded that Nemphos had every intention of blowing up the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and were relieved to be able to foil his attack plan. Nemphos was charged as an adult with having a dangerous weapon on school property, theft and being in possession of a destructive device.
According to Nemphos, years of bullying is behind his rage. The teen claimed he has been telling his parents and teachers for years about how badly he has been treated, but no one ever took any action to stop it. If this is true, then it is the second situation in a month that could have easily had deadly consequences.
