Classmates of Grant Acord at West Albany High School in Oregon said the 17 -year-old who is accused of planning to blow it up, discussed bomb-making in the weeks prior to his arrest last week. He did not, however, speak of a plot to inflict mega damage, the Associated Press reported. Acord was arrested Thursday night after a 911 tip that he was planning to blow up the school, police said.
Prosecutors said that in addition to the bombs, investigators at Acord's home found a checklist and timeline for the alleged attack. West Albany High school is located about 75 miles south of Portland.
Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said that he will be charged as an adult with attempted aggravated murder. Haroldson said the alleged plot was "forged and inspired" by the Columbine school shootings in 1999. Investigators reportedly found six bombs in a secret compartment under the floorboard of his bedroom, along with written plans, checklists, and a diagram of the school, which orchestrated his plot. Authorities said his plan also involved pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails, a Drano bomb and a napalm bomb, news reports said.
No bombs were found during searches of the school, and classes will resume as scheduled Tuesday. Acord is scheduled to be in court also on Tuesday. He will be charged as an adult.
"I have been advised that none of the evidence developed thus far suggests any broader conspiracy or involvement by any other persons," Maria Delapoer, the superintendent of Albany schools, said in a statement to parents. "The bottom line is that the school is safe and that students can return to school on Tuesday confident that no outstanding threats remain."
Acord's mother said that he suffers from a rare form of obsessive -compulsive-disorder caused by childhood infections,
"I can't say enough about how lucky we are that there was an intervention," DA Haroldson added. "When I look at the evidence in the case, I shudder to think of what could have happened here."
