Would-Be Wootton Mass Shooter Found Guilty of Threat of Mass Violence

[Anonymous]

SOURCE: https://wjla.com/news/local/high-school-student-guilty-mass-shooting-plot-mass-violence-andrea-ye-alex-wooten-high-school-lakewood-elementary-montgomery-county-gun-violence-school-shootings-student-safety-maryland-dmv-crime#

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A high school student was found guilty of the threat of mass violence for writing a 129-page "manifesto" outlining a mass shooting plot at Wooten High School and Lakewood Elementary School last year.

During a trial Wednesday, a Montgomery County judge found 18-year-old Andrea Ye of Rockville, who goes by Alex, guilty of mass violence.

In a 129-page "manifesto" Ye allegedly wrote a plot of how he wanted to be involved in mass shootings at the two schools in Montgomery County. Police records showed that Ye claimed it was a fictional story, but officials said that numerous internet searches made by Ye helped in an arrest and charges. Officials were concerned with many of the plot's elements that seemed to be too realistic, according to police records. Ye referred to the manifesto as his "memoir" or an "autobiography," according to police documents.

According to officials, Ye's alleged manifesto was shared with Baltimore police on March 3, by someone else who knew Ye as both people received treatment at a psychiatric facility in Maryland. Ye started receiving mental health treatment in December of 2022 after making a series of alleged threats.

Documents claimed that Ye reportedly contemplated targeting an elementary school.

"The charges are extremely serious, involving alleged threats to harm others. We value and appreciate the close collaboration between [Montgomery County Public Schools] and MCPD in this matter, which is an example of our shared commitment to identify and address potential threats with due process before they materialize," a statement from MCPS read. "The student, who has not physically attended an MCPS school since the fall of 2022, has been actively participating in lessons through a virtual program called Online Pathways to Graduation."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SOURCE: https://wjla.com/news/local/high-school-student-guilty-mass-shooting-plot-mass-violence-andrea-ye-alex-wooten-high-school-lakewood-elementary-montgomery-county-gun-violence-school-shootings-student-safety-maryland-dmv-crime#

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A high school student was found guilty of the threat of mass violence for writing a 129-page "manifesto" outlining a mass shooting plot at Wooten High School and Lakewood Elementary School last year.

During a trial Wednesday, a Montgomery County judge found 18-year-old Andrea Ye of Rockville, who goes by Alex, guilty of mass violence.

In a 129-page "manifesto" Ye allegedly wrote a plot of how he wanted to be involved in mass shootings at the two schools in Montgomery County. Police records showed that Ye claimed it was a fictional story, but officials said that numerous internet searches made by Ye helped in an arrest and charges. Officials were concerned with many of the plot's elements that seemed to be too realistic, according to police records. Ye referred to the manifesto as his "memoir" or an "autobiography," according to police documents.

According to officials, Ye's alleged manifesto was shared with Baltimore police on March 3, by someone else who knew Ye as both people received treatment at a psychiatric facility in Maryland. Ye started receiving mental health treatment in December of 2022 after making a series of alleged threats.

Documents claimed that Ye reportedly contemplated targeting an elementary school.

"The charges are extremely serious, involving alleged threats to harm others. We value and appreciate the close collaboration between [Montgomery County Public Schools] and MCPD in this matter, which is an example of our shared commitment to identify and address potential threats with due process before they materialize," a statement from MCPS read. "The student, who has not physically attended an MCPS school since the fall of 2022, has been actively participating in lessons through a virtual program called Online Pathways to Graduation."

When was this trial taking place? There seems to be a lot going on at Wootton this year....

[Anonymous]

When was this trial taking place? There seems to be a lot going on at Wootton this year....

12/9 & 12/10 according to case search
Hearing today after motion to acquit
Sentencing 2/28

[Anonymous]

Happy to see Ye's family had them in a facility and receiving treatment for at least the past two years.

[Anonymous]

WaPo story has a bit more detail in its reporting: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/01/09/wootton-high-shooting-threat-maryland/

Alex Ye, 19, of Montgomery County, faces up to 10 years in prison at a sentencing hearing set for late next month.

“It is clear to the court that Alex was fully aware of the impact of his statements,” Judge Jill Cummins said from the bench. “He recognized his statements were terroristic threats.”

Ye, who lived in a townhouse with his parents in Rockville, showed little reaction as Cummins issued her verdict. While being led out of court in handcuffs, he nodded slightly toward his mother and father in the front row. Ye had elected to be tried in front of a judge last month rather than a jury.

Prosecutors built their case from concerns over Ye’s behavior while a student at Wootton, online messages he sent to a friend, social media posts and — perhaps most important — a 129-page book he wrote and shared with the same friend on March 3, 2024.

“I want to shoot up my school,” Chapter 1 began. “I’ve been preparing for it for the past few months.”

“As I walk through the hallways, I cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets,” he wrote a page later. “These ones are close to the entrance and have windows in the doors. I need to figure out how I’ll sneak the gun in. Maybe a duffel bag will work.”

Ye had gone to Wootton, a D.C.-suburban school filled with high-achieving and college-bound students, and was also driven to apply for college and succeed there, according to trial evidence.

“Alex Ye is smart,” Cummins noted, while adding that he had “an unhealthy obsession with school shootings and their shooters.”

Evidence at the trial showed that Ye had drawn a stick figure of a person holding a rifle and had a layout diagram of Wootton. Among his internet searches: “gun range near me,” “I do recognize that my plan is fully ethical. It’s selfish and evil,” “2023 mass shootings” and “how many people did Adam Lanza kill.” Lanza carried out a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

“He was clearly planning and making progressions,” Assistant State’s Attorney Karen Mooney said in her closing argument.

[Anonymous]

So, will they get prison for life?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

The part that's NOT being reported on in the press, is the extent to which Alex's parents used their wealth, privilege and the medical system to shield their child from the consequences of their dangerous behavior, allowing them to continue school through virtual school rather than forcing them to go to an alternative school or facing expulsion, as certainly would have been the case if they were lower income and Black or Hispanic. MCPS was complicit in this.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to know more about the timeline of when Ye was hospitalized vs treatment centers vs time spent at home walking distance to these schools 2022-2024.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

The part that's NOT being reported on in the press, is the extent to which Alex's parents used their wealth, privilege and the medical system to shield their child from the consequences of their dangerous behavior, allowing them to continue school through virtual school rather than forcing them to go to an alternative school or facing expulsion, as certainly would have been the case if they were lower income and Black or Hispanic. MCPS was complicit in this.

Complicit? Shouldn’t your issue be with other kids not being cared for as well rather than begrudging a mentally ill child not being sent to an alternative school? It sounds like these were very responsible (and yes, privileged) parents who worked with the system to protect everyone. Shouldn’t that be the goal for everyone? And the kid was prosecuted, btw. Parents seemingly and thankfully didn’t try to cover this up at all of our peril. What outcome did you prefer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

The part that's NOT being reported on in the press, is the extent to which Alex's parents used their wealth, privilege and the medical system to shield their child from the consequences of their dangerous behavior, allowing them to continue school through virtual school rather than forcing them to go to an alternative school or facing expulsion, as certainly would have been the case if they were lower income and Black or Hispanic. MCPS was complicit in this.

Complicit? Shouldn’t your issue be with other kids not being cared for as well rather than begrudging a mentally ill child not being sent to an alternative school? It sounds like these were very responsible (and yes, privileged) parents who worked with the system to protect everyone. Shouldn’t that be the goal for everyone? And the kid was prosecuted, btw. Parents seemingly and thankfully didn’t try to cover this up at all of our peril. What outcome did you prefer?

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

The part that's NOT being reported on in the press, is the extent to which Alex's parents used their wealth, privilege and the medical system to shield their child from the consequences of their dangerous behavior, allowing them to continue school through virtual school rather than forcing them to go to an alternative school or facing expulsion, as certainly would have been the case if they were lower income and Black or Hispanic. MCPS was complicit in this.

Complicit? Shouldn’t your issue be with other kids not being cared for as well rather than begrudging a mentally ill child not being sent to an alternative school? It sounds like these were very responsible (and yes, privileged) parents who worked with the system to protect everyone. Shouldn’t that be the goal for everyone? And the kid was prosecuted, btw. Parents seemingly and thankfully didn’t try to cover this up at all of our peril. What outcome did you prefer?

Yes, complicit. MCPS would not have given a lower income Black or Hispanic the "option" of virtual school as they did his parents. Alex got special treatment because of his wealth and privilege.

Furthermore, Alex and his parents are not sorry for what he did and they are not "responsible." They attempted to maneuver their child away from the natural consequences and would have gotten away with it, were it not for Ye's friend who turned him into the police. Ye's lawyer made the defense that his threats were not real and that they were just a story. This is similar to Jennifer and James Crumbley, who encouraged their son Ethan to lie to his school counselor and say that his drawings were merely drawings and that he didn't intend to hurt anybody. Later that day, he shot up his classmates.

Thankfully, the judge in Ye's case did not fall for that BS and rightfully found him guilty of threats of mass violence. There is nothing good or responsible about this family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

The part that's NOT being reported on in the press, is the extent to which Alex's parents used their wealth, privilege and the medical system to shield their child from the consequences of their dangerous behavior, allowing them to continue school through virtual school rather than forcing them to go to an alternative school or facing expulsion, as certainly would have been the case if they were lower income and Black or Hispanic. MCPS was complicit in this.

Complicit? Shouldn’t your issue be with other kids not being cared for as well rather than begrudging a mentally ill child not being sent to an alternative school? It sounds like these were very responsible (and yes, privileged) parents who worked with the system to protect everyone. Shouldn’t that be the goal for everyone? And the kid was prosecuted, btw. Parents seemingly and thankfully didn’t try to cover this up at all of our peril. What outcome did you prefer?

Yes, complicit. MCPS would not have given a lower income Black or Hispanic the "option" of virtual school as they did his parents. Alex got special treatment because of his wealth and privilege.

Furthermore, Alex and his parents are not sorry for what he did and they are not "responsible." They attempted to maneuver their child away from the natural consequences and would have gotten away with it, were it not for Ye's friend who turned him into the police. Ye's lawyer made the defense that his threats were not real and that they were just a story. This is similar to Jennifer and James Crumbley, who encouraged their son Ethan to lie to his school counselor and say that his drawings were merely drawings and that he didn't intend to hurt anybody. Later that day, he shot up his classmates.

Thankfully, the judge in Ye's case did not fall for that BS and rightfully found him guilty of threats of mass violence. There is nothing good or responsible about this family.

I won’t pretend to know every detail of the facts but a lawyer’s job is a jealous defense. You can’t fairly fully conflate a family’s position with that of a lawyer’s. And the student here is the client.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, will they get prison for life?

No, nor should he. Ye was a minor when he wrote the "manifesto" and was already in treatment for what appears to be pretty significant mental illness. With time and treatment, and given that no acts of violence were actually committed, there is a good chance he can be a functioning member of our community again.

In a lot of ways, this is a best case scenario. From the reporting, it seems Ye was already in a residential therapeutic setting when the "book" was discovered, and had disclosed the plans to a HS counselor.

So here we have a young person essentially asking for help, school officials correctly identifying a real threat and taking action, and parents willing to fight for residential placement. Not to mention a lack of readily available weapons.

Think about the school shootings that did happen, all of the times school authorities brushed off a threat, or parents resisted treatment, or kept firearms in the home.

I know this is scary, but it's actually kind of a model case for what happens when the system works.

This only did not become a big news story since the parents don't own guns. I can imagine what would have happened if they did. This person needs to be in a psych facility and monitored and hopefully will not acquire a gun ever.

The part that's NOT being reported on in the press, is the extent to which Alex's parents used their wealth, privilege and the medical system to shield their child from the consequences of their dangerous behavior, allowing them to continue school through virtual school rather than forcing them to go to an alternative school or facing expulsion, as certainly would have been the case if they were lower income and Black or Hispanic. MCPS was complicit in this.

Complicit? Shouldn’t your issue be with other kids not being cared for as well rather than begrudging a mentally ill child not being sent to an alternative school? It sounds like these were very responsible (and yes, privileged) parents who worked with the system to protect everyone. Shouldn’t that be the goal for everyone? And the kid was prosecuted, btw. Parents seemingly and thankfully didn’t try to cover this up at all of our peril. What outcome did you prefer?

Yes, complicit. MCPS would not have given a lower income Black or Hispanic the "option" of virtual school as they did his parents. Alex got special treatment because of his wealth and privilege.

Furthermore, Alex and his parents are not sorry for what he did and they are not "responsible." They attempted to maneuver their child away from the natural consequences and would have gotten away with it, were it not for Ye's friend who turned him into the police. Ye's lawyer made the defense that his threats were not real and that they were just a story. This is similar to Jennifer and James Crumbley, who encouraged their son Ethan to lie to his school counselor and say that his drawings were merely drawings and that he didn't intend to hurt anybody. Later that day, he shot up his classmates.

Thankfully, the judge in Ye's case did not fall for that BS and rightfully found him guilty of threats of mass violence. There is nothing good or responsible about this family.

I won’t pretend to know every detail of the facts but a lawyer’s job is a jealous defense. You can’t fairly fully conflate a family’s position with that of a lawyer’s. And the student here is the client.

You don't think Alex's parents aren't footing the bill for his lawyer? They're on board with pretending like the threats were fiction. But anyway, you've already conceded you're not that familiar with the facts in this case so debating it with you is moot.