CHS Student Planned Bomb, Shooting
A senior at Catoctin High School in Thurmont was gathering weapons and explosive materials to build a bomb, and planned to carry out an attack at the school in April, according to police. Nichole Cevario,18, of Thurmont remains hospitalized after police removed her from school Friday following a call from her parents about the shotgun and explosive materials at the home, along with a journal detailing her plans. Cevario is charged with one count of possession of explosive material, and one count of possession of explosive material with intent to create a destructive device, according to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.
The police investigation revealed Cevario had the means and equipment to have caused “a significant life safety event at Catoctin High School” if she had followed through with the threat. “It was also clear that Ms. Cevario was struggling with mental health issues which prompted the emergency evaluation at Frederick Memorial Hospital,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Cevario was actively acquiring materials to build an explosive device, and her journal revealed she had been planning an event at Catoctin High School for some time.
Cevario’s journal clearly spelled out a detailed shooting event that she planned to execute on a specific date in April, the Sheriff’s Office said. “Investigators are confident of the intent, but are still trying to evaluate if Ms. Cevario would have had the will to execute the event, but what was clear from Ms. Cevario is she planned on dying on the date she identified in her journal,” the statement said.
Explosive materials were found as part of the investigation but that the raw materials had not been assembled into an explosive device. Evidence recovered from her home revealed that the suspect was actively acquiring materials needed to execute the plot, including a shotgun with ammunition, bomb making materials to include pipes with end caps, shrapnel, fireworks, magnesium tape, and fuse material. Her journal revealed she had been compiling intelligence on behavior activities of the school, noting emergency procedures associated with drills conducted by school staff and obtaining intelligence on the School Resource Deputy assigned to the school. The journal included a timeline that revealed how Cevario was going to execute the plot and her expectations at each stage, the statement said.
[Materials found related to Cevario investigation, photos above and left, courtesy of Frederick County Sheriff's Office.]
Investigators are confident of the intent, but are still trying to evaluate if Cevario would have had the will to execute the event, but what was clear from Cevario is she planned on dying on the date she identified in her journal, the statement said. "It was also clear that Ms. Cevario was struggling with mental health issues which prompted the emergency evaluation at Frederick Memorial Hospital."
Investigators have obtained an arrest warrant for Ms. Cevario that will be served upon her release from Frederick. The U.S. Dept of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms assisted in the investigation.
