Fla. Police Thwart Former Student’s Mass Murder Plot

Police arrested Jared Cano, a former student of Freedom High School, after bomb-making equipment and a manifesto were discovered in his apartment. Cano allegedly planned to kill 32 people on the first day of classes.

Tampa Police have thwarted a mass murder plot at Freedom High School that was allegedly to be carried out on the first day of classes, Chief Jane Castor announced.

Jared Cano, a former student who hadn't attended the school for a year and a half, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly plotting to kill 32 people, including two principals, CNN reports. After Cano gave police permission to search his apartment, a manifesto and possible bomb making materials were discovered.

Cano's manifesto included information about the layout of the school and the locations where he was planning to put bombs, ABC News reports. Police said the manifesto also expressed Cano's desire to surpass the number of casualties caused by the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

Police were alerted to the plot by a tipster whose identity has been kept confidential.

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