An 18-year-old Pasadena Memorial High School student has been charged as an adult with conspiracy to commit capital murder after authorities say he and a younger classmate plotted a mass shooting at the campus, according to court records.
Emilio Lopez, an 11th grader, was arrested following a Pasadena Independent School District Police Department investigation that began on November 24 when another student reported receiving disturbing messages, including a warning not to come to school on Monday.
The tipster provided screenshots showing exchanges between Lopez and a 10th-grade student, who remains unidentified because he is a juvenile.
In the messages, the pair allegedly discussed carrying out an attack and detailed the weapons they planned to use. One message attributed to Lopez read: “F*** it at this point I’m tempted people want to hate me anyways I’ll give them a reason to hate me,” Fox 26 reported.
Other exchanges included: “No like deadass let’s do this ATP, I got 2 shot guns and plenty of ammo. … Just let me know I got everything from slugs to birdshot. … Okay bet but you’d probably have to use the pump action tho until I get the right barrel for the AK-12.”
“This has to be planned strategically,” the unnamed juvenile wrote, per Fox 26.
“We can take hostages to draw it out longer,” Lopez suggested.
Investigators said Lopez posted Instagram photos on November 25 showing himself holding a pump-action shotgun and a silver-and-black handgun that matched the weapons described in the messages. Court documents noted Lopez had been linked to a separate social media threat in May.
Both students face felony conspiracy to commit capital murder charges.
Lopez was booked into the Harris County jail and later released on $100,000 bond. The younger suspect is being processed through the juvenile system.