Transgender Teenager Arrested For Planning To Shoot Up An Elementary School

On April 18, 2024, a Montgomery, Maryland, outlet reported that an 18-year-old high school student was charged in "connection with plans to commit a school shooting at a Montgomery County school."

Per Montgomery County Police, the suspect's name is Andrea Ye, whose preferred name is Alex Ye. "Andrea Ye, of Rockville, whose preferred name is Alex Ye, was arrested on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, by the Montgomery County Police Department," they wrote in their statement.

This could have been the second school shooting perpetrated by a trans-identifying individual. In March 2023, a trans school shooter named Audrey Hale took the lives of six people. The Nashville police refused to release the killer's manifesto.

Montgomery County Police arrested the suspect following an investigation conducted by MCPD and the FBI Baltimore Field Office. Ye attended Wootton High School and took virtual classes, according to Montgomery County Public Schools.

The FBI notified officials about a 129-page "manifesto" written by Ye, in which the student detailed committing a school shooting and strategizing how to carry out the heinous act. In her own writing, Ye contemplated targeting an elementary school and desired to be famous. MCPD received a search warrant, leading them to internet searches and drawings, as well as documents related to threats of mass violence.

The county's schools have now increased their security. In a statement, MCPS said, “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. 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."

Following the announcement, The Washington Post wrote an article on Ye, explaining that the discovered document was about a story of a trans character named "James Wang." However, the suspect's acquaintance informed the detectives that Wang had "striking similarities" to Ye.

“The story focused on a transgender main character being bullied in school and other issues that [the acquaintance] believed were directly from Ye’s life and not indicative of fiction,” investigators noted.

Ye's writings were disturbing. Ye wrote, "I want to shoot up my school. I've been preparing for it for the past few months. As I sit in front of my dad's gun case and stare at the sleek, black gun inside, all I can think about is my finger on the trigger, taking aim, and killing people."

Elsewhere in the document, it read, “As I walk through the hallways, I cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets. On another page, she added: “I have also considered shooting up my former elementary school because little kids make easier targets.”

Ye reportedly spent the last 15 months under psychiatric care. Court records show that the student purchased a BB gun online without their parents' knowledge. Records suggested she was considering committing "suicide by cop," which describes an individual who points a weapon at police to be killed. In addition, the investigators spoke with a psychologist who treated Ye, with another counselor informing them, "Ye would express violent thoughts such as shooting up the school, wanting to hurt other people, and would smile while saying it."

The court documents state that Ye also allegedly sent messages saying she felt it would be fun to shoot people. The detectives wrote that Ye "also claimed to be Jesus Christ and was going to crucify himself."

Shiera Goff, the Montgomery County police spokeswoman, expressed relief about the trans teen's arrest. “This could have been something that was potentially catastrophic had people not come forward with information."

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