Ohio teen faces charges after allegedly crafting mass shooting plot at synagogue
A 13-year-old in Ohio is facing criminal charges after allegedly crafting “a detailed plan” for a mass shooting at a synagogue in September, according to court documents obtained by CNN.
The teen, whom authorities have not publicly identified, posted “a detailed plan to complete a mass shooting” at Temple Israel in Canton, according to the court documents. The defendant posted the plans on the social media platform Discord, causing “significant public alarm” when authorities notified public individuals and agencies and the school system.
The 13-year-old is charged with misdemeanor counts of inducing panic and disorderly conduct in the September 1 incident, according to the documents. It is still unclear if any weapons were found when the teen was arrested or how serious the intentions were.
The teen is due to appear next week in Stark County Family Court for a trial on the charges. The incident came more than a month before Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, a conflict that has sparked a surge of antisemitic and other threats across the United States.
More than 2,000 antisemitic incidents have been documented in the US in the two months after the conflict began, a 337% increase over the same period last year, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has also reported an “unprecedented” spike in bias incidents in the month after the war began.
The Anti-Defamation League in Cleveland has expressed horror at the alleged mass shooting plot and thanked law enforcement for its thorough investigation. They also emphasized the importance of not tolerating hate and threats on social media or in real life.
CNN has reached out to the teen’s attorney, Stark County officials, and the synagogue for more information on the case. This story has been updated with additional information.