A mom is speaking out about the agonizing process of reporting her son, whom she believed was planning a shooting at his high school on the anniversary of the Columbine massacre.
In 2019, Nicole Schubert, 41, reported her own son to the police after learning that the then-17-year-old had methodically planned a mass murder at his Washington high school in his notebook. He initially shot his mom as part of the diabolical scheme.
In a tearful appearance Schubert discussed how she took the hard call to save not just other people’s lives but also her own son’s.
Even though her now-20-year-old son still disagrees with her, she said that the intervention has put his life back on track. As difficult as it was to turn him in, she stated last week, she doesn’t have any regrets.
In light of the recent spate of school and public shootings, including the horrible murders of 19 elementary school students and two instructors in Uvalde, Texas, Schubert told her moving experience.
In their house in September 2019, Schubert discovered her son’s notebook, in which he had meticulously planned out his murderous actions.
She remarked, it was really detailed, and it was simply awful. She didn’t, and she wasn’t particularly interested in the specifics.
Her son planned to commit a shooting on April 20, 2020, the 21st anniversary of the Columbine tragedy.
His mother and her lover were to be killed at 5 a.m. that morning as part of his atrocity, and at 12:20 p.m. the same day, he would start shooting up his school.
As per a police report, he wrote: “Kill everybody you can, fight to the death, or kill yourself when maximum harm has been done.”
Before coming across the notebook, Schubert had discovered what seemed to be a pipe bomb and bomb-making supplies in her son’s bedroom, who she said shared her fascination with mass shooters.
She claimed that after discovering the book, she took it about with her for a day while she deliberated her next move.
As a mom, one’s first instinct is to protect her child. But at that time, she thought he would be safer in jail if he really was going to do these things, Schubert said.
Additionally, she said that she was inspired to take measures when she considered her son’s illogical victims, many of whom she knew would be the kids of her colleagues and coworkers, as well as children she had formerly babysat.
She explained, at that moment, it wasn’t just about her and him; it was about the entire school – hundreds of people, hundreds of kids, children.
A few hours after discovering the journal, she made the decision to turn her son in; the next day, when he returned from school, police detained him.
Police found a six-inch knife he was carrying in his pocket while they were holding him. When questioned if he knew his rights, the officer was reportedly ordered to “F*** off,” according to the police report.
Despite his assertions that the entries in the notebook were nothing more than a fantasy fiction he had made up and not anything he genuinely intended to accomplish, her son entered pleas of guilty to two misdemeanors for harassment and domestic abuse and a felony threat to bomb or harm property.
Schubert’s son was denied permission to return to school, subjected to a psychiatric examination, and ordered to perform 20 hours of community service in addition to 18 months of community monitoring.
Since his arrest, he has graduated from high school, is looking for depression treatment, intends to enroll in college, and hasn’t run into any legal issues.
Even though it was difficult to report him, Schubert stated, she doesn’t have any regrets.
Schubert expressed her desire that by sharing her experience, it will help others in a similar position make similarly tough choices and save lives.
She expressed that if there’s a chance to rescue even one – one person, one child she thinks it’s worth it. She also begged parents to watch out for red flags from their children.
Stay in their activities. Even if they disagree with it and won’t appreciate it. But it’s a responsibility as parents to be aware of what the children are doing, she said, adding, just be attentive and look for indications. Kids typically show you when something is wrong by their behaviour.
ONLY ON GMA: This mother made the unthinkable choice to turn her own son in to authorities, fearing he would plan an attack on his school and says to a certain point, parents of mass shooters are responsible for ignoring the warning signs.
Posted by Good Morning America on Thursday, 21 July 2022
She claimed that even after learning that her son tried to murder her, she still loves him.
That is her child, she gave birth to him. It is quite painful. She added, It aches still.
He is her kid. He has her undying love. She’ll be there for him always. No matter what he does, he will always adore him.
