A teenage gamer from Tennessee has been praised for preventing a potential mass tragedy at a school in Northern California. Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain announced on Tuesday that the unnamed teen was participating in an online gaming chat when he overheard two other teenagers discussing plans for a mass casualty event at Evergreen Institute of Excellence, a charter school located on the Evergreen Middle School campus in Cottonwood, Shasta County.

The quick-thinking gamer immediately alerted authorities, who were able to intervene and possibly avert a disaster. Search warrants executed at the homes of the teens allegedly uncovered bomb-making materials, weapons and other evidence that supported the plan. The suspects were arrested and face felony charges, including conspiracy to commit mass murder.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the 14- and 15-year-old suspects intended to carry out the attack last Friday, and also included in their plan to murder of one set of their parents.

Sheriff Kain said:

“It was determined the juveniles had built and tested two improvised explosive devices in preparation to use in the attack on the school. The suspects were hopeful to amass a casualty count in excess of 100 individuals.”

Kain said the attack never happened because one of the boys backed out. He also said police are continuing their investigation into whether any of the parents had any knowledge of what the teens were planning.

Sheriff Kain commended the teen gamers actions saying:

“I’d like to celebrate this particular young man out of Tennessee — this young hero — who had the courage and heroic instincts to call our agency and notify us in order to mitigate any possible threat to our citizens and particularly our young people. This was serious. It would have changed our community as a whole."

Bill Handel