New Jersey Police Foil School Attack Plan

[larrymeyer]

Where do you think they got the idea ????

http://www.officer.com/web/online/Top-News-Stories/New-Jersey-Police-Foil-School-Attack-Plan/1$40486

New Jersey Police Foil School Attack Plan


Posted: Thursday, March 6, 2008
Updated: March 6th, 2008 11:15 AM EDT

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI
Associated Press Writer

TRENTON, N.J. --

A developing plot to stage a "military-style assault" at a high school near the end of the school year has been foiled, authorities said.

One person has been charged in the ongoing investigation, which began this week after officials at Belvidere High School heard allegations that a 17-year-old senior male student was developing a hit list of students and teachers, State Police spokesman Capt. Al Della Fave said Wednesday night.

School officials notified Belvidere police, who soon got state police, the FBI and the region's Joint Terrorism Task Force involved.

State police detectives Michael Lamonaco and Kenneth Koenig, working with officials from the other agencies, then began a more extensive investigation and spoke with nine of the student's acquaintances, described by Della Fave as five juveniles and four adult males, all of whom live in Belvidere or nearby White Township. Della Fave would not say whether any of them were also students.

"Investigators learned that the military-style plot was being developed, and that (those involved) had begun doing surveillance work at the school and were working to identify possible escape routes," Della Fave said.

Authorities notified the 17-year-old student's father, who voluntarily surrendered some guns in his house to authorities. Della Fave said that all the weapons were legally registered and that the father has been assisting investigators.

The student, whose name was not disclosed, has been hospitalized for a mental health evaluation, Della Fave said. He has not yet been charged.

James M. Shipps, 22, of Belvidere, was charged with creating a false public alarm, making terroristic threats and hindering apprehension, Della Fave said. He was being held in the county jail on $50,000 bail. It was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.

Della Fave credited teamwork of local, state and federal officials with foiling what he said could have been "a truly horrible" incident.

"This is an example of the partnerships we need to have, and why it's important for people to report suspicious activity," he said.

[625]

"Investigators learned that the military-style plot was being developed,

What exactly was "military-style" about this alleged plot? Why does the media feel the need to make every story into some type of Hollywood drama?

School officials notified Belvidere police, who soon got state police, the FBI and the region's Joint Terrorism Task Force involved.

What, they didn't get Homeland Security involved too?

Della Fave said that all the weapons were legally registered

Legally registered? You mean legally owned? Since when do gun owners in Jersey have to register all their guns?

I'm glad they stopped this alleged plot, but sheesh, try to just report the facts and try to get them right.

[mikepro8]

Uhm... what I dont get is why dad handed his guns to authorities if nothing illegal was done with them? Makes no sense to me.

[NineseveN]

Uhm... what I dont get is why dad handed his guns to authorities if nothing illegal was done with them? Makes no sense to me.

And it will require a court order from an attorney to get them back. Say buh-bye to a few paychecks there buddy.

[sluggie24]

How can they charge him with creating a false public alarm? Didn't they catch him before he did anything?

Hindering apprehension? Is that a new one they just made up or is that one of those laws they can charge you with whenever they want like disorderly conduct? Like if you think about doing an illegal activity and don't immediately turn yourself in.......

Terroristic threats? Unless he went around telling people he was going to shoot them all I doubt this one would hold water.

Look I hate the scum that go out and shoot up innocent people as much as the next guy but just because someone thinks about doing something doesn't make them guilty of doing it. Get him the mental help he needs but dragging him trough the system like they will is just going to make him antisocial and cause him to have more hate than he already does. Rather than just punnish the result why don't they also try and figure out the cause of why this behavior was starting?

Before you know it anyone that owns more than 2 firearms and 100 rds of ammo will be considered potentially dangerous because they have the ABILLITY to inflict multiple injuries. The simple ability will soon become a crime if things keep going the way they are in this country......

[Philadelphia]

How can they charge him with creating a false public alarm? Didn't they catch him before he did anything?

Hindering apprehension? Is that a new one they just made up or is that one of those laws they can charge you with whenever they want like disorderly conduct? Like if you think about doing an illegal activity and don't immediately turn yourself in.......

Terroristic threats? Unless he went around telling people he was going to shoot them all I doubt this one would hold water.

Look I hate the scum that go out and shoot up innocent people as much as the next guy but just because someone thinks about doing something doesn't make them guilty of doing it. Get him the mental help he needs but dragging him trough the system like they will is just going to make him antisocial and cause him to have more hate than he already does. Rather than just punnish the result why don't they also try and figure out the cause of why this behavior was starting?

Before you know it anyone that owns more than 2 firearms and 100 rds of ammo will be considered potentially dangerous because they have the ABILLITY to inflict multiple injuries. The simple ability will soon become a crime if things keep going the way they are in this country......

Yeah. If the media ever gets ahold of most normal people, we all have an "arsenal" or "weapons cache" in the safe. I'm still trying to buy a "low powered rifle" because the media is so down on "high powered rifles" every chance it gets.

For those involved in the plot, whatever happened to charging conspiracy to commit murder? Maybe the DA is not readdy to charge yet until the investigation gets farther along.

As is typical with the media of late, it's impossible to tell from the story much of anything about what's actually going on. What does come out of the story is why it's worthwhile for police to develop police/community "partnerships" where most people know one or more cops on their "beat" and feel familiar enough with them to report suspicious activity.

[Autonomous]

School officials notified Belvidere police, who soon got state police, the FBI and the region's Joint Terrorism Task Force involved.

OK first off I believe that there is a place for the cooperation of law enforcement but I wonder why it is that they called in the FBI-JTF? Seems to me like a combo of surveillance and a simple SWAT round up of the dangerous suspects would suffice.

Authorities notified the 17-year-old student's father, who voluntarily surrendered some guns in his house to authorities. Della Fave said that all the weapons were legally registered and that the father has been assisting investigators.

The student, whose name was not disclosed, has been hospitalized for a mental health evaluation, Della Fave said. He has not yet been charged.

OK I really wonder when it was that this kid was hospitalized. My guess is that the kid was not picked up by the police and then turned over to the hospital. Which then makes me wonder why the kid was hospitalized. Maybe it was because the kid was making threats at school or home some one did the right thing and tried to get this kid some help. If that is the case then I believe that person is responsible for uncovering the planning of this would be horrible crime.
I also wonder about the father who's firearms are now in possession of the authorities. If he had a hand in committing his son then it would be much more likely that he would turn over his firearms. I am all for cooperating with police investigations but it has been shown time and time again that getting your firearms back after something like this is a real PITA.

"This is an example of the partnerships we need to have, and why it's important for people to report suspicious activity," he said.

Again with the suspicious activity. Does that mean people who make us uncomfortable. Do not try and protect yourselves people. Look forward only. Any sign of trouble call the Authorities and we will deal with it.
I would like to know who tipped off the police on this. They deserve to be praised. If it was a hospital worker then they should be recognized for doing their job well. If it was a teacher then they may have helped stop a crime of grand proportions. If they want to remain anonymous then just say that. People should be rewarded for doing the right thing.
-A

[Dave in PA]

More 'info' from local paper:

http://www.pennlive.com/news/express...400.xml&coll=2

Threat to school was real, cops say
Belvidere High School senior implicated in alleged plan kept journal, according to police. Friday, March 07, 2008By TOM QUIGLEYThe Express-Times
Belvidere Police Chief Kent Sweigert was not among the doubters when it came to threatening behavior by a Belvidere High School senior implicated in a plan to shoot up the school.

"I feel he is very capable of doing so, mentally capable of doing it," Sweigert said.
Sweigert's opinion was based on paging through Joseph Pastusek II's notebook, which the chief said detailed the shooting plans. The notebook contained words and drawings that led Sweigert to turn the case over to the FBI.

"I looked in his notebook and read every word and it was pretty disturbing," Sweigert said.

The chief also interviewed the troubled teenager.

Pastusek said "I love combat and I love to kill," the chief said.

Authorities have not identified Pastusek by name. But court paperwork filed in the related arrest of his best friend, James M. Shipps, explains Pastusek's involvement in the alleged plot to shoot teachers and students at Belvidere High School.

Pastusek on Thursday remained in the St. Clare's Hospital mental health unit in Boonton, N.J., under involuntary commitment.

Pastusek, of White Township, had access to three guns his father, Joseph Pastusek Jr., owned. Authorities found a pair of 12-gauge shotguns, a .45-caliber black-powder rifle and roughly 1,800 rounds of ammunition in the Wyndtryst Way home they share.

The teen's father moved them to another location for safekeeping when the alleged plot came to light, authorities reported.
Page 2 of 3
"You're lucky I don't jump you right now," the elder Pastusek told an Express-Times reporter who knocked on his door Thursday. "The way you put that in the paper. You can go to hell," he said before closing the door.

Investigation targets two suspects in planning In the teen's bedroom, police found an operator's manual for a Yugoslavian SKS semi-automatic weapon and a device used to load rounds into a firearm, records show.

In a videotaped statement to investigators Tuesday, Shipps detailed his involvement with Pastusek and three other Belvidere area youths "to conduct a military-style attack on the Belvidere High School in June 2008," reads a probable cause affidavit.

Shipps told investigators Pastusek bought about six "CS grenades," which are actually gas canisters typically used by law-enforcement for riot control. Shipps said his younger friend was also awaiting delivery of about six more of the canisters.

Shipps told investigators Pastusek also had four so-called flash bangs, nonlethal explosives used by law-enforcement to distract criminals. Pastusek planned to use those items, Shipps said, in the high school attack.

He also told investigators his friend obtained 200 rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition for his father's SKS rifle.

Investigators did not find any CS canisters or grenades, records show.

"Interviews of witnesses corroborated the fact that (Pastusek) and Shipps were in the planning stages of an attack on Belvidere High School," the document reads.

New Jersey State Police Capt. Al Della Fave, a state police spokesman, said Wednesday investigators had identified 10 people they were looking at as possibly being part of the plot.
But on Thursday night, New Jersey State Police said they had narrowed the field of suspects to Pastusek and Shipps, though the investigation is ongoing. Shipps, 22, of the 300 block of Water Street, Belvidere, is charged with terroristic threats, false public alarm and hindering apprehension. He remained in the Warren County jail Thursday in lieu of $50,000 bail

Belvidere School District Superintendent Dirk Swaneveld said Thursday afternoon he was certain only Pastusek and Shipps were involved in the alleged plot. The other students questioned by authorities only overheard a conversation between the two, he said.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Swaneveld said. "The other students were brought in mainly for questioning."

Not first encounter with police for friends

Pastusek, Shipps, another 20-year man and a juvenile were arrested May 8 and charged with weapons offenses. The charges involved the unlawful possession of a handgun and dum-dum bullets (bullets designed to inflict more trauma and cause more bleeding).

Pastusek is on probation after his conviction on those charges.

Shipps was admitted to a diversionary probation program for 24 months, records show.

Reporter Tom Quigley can be reached at 908-475-8184 or by e-mail at tquigley@express-times.com.

[NineseveN]

Oh, it's the dreaded "dum-dum" bullet thing again? Give me a break...these reporters are absolute morons.

[sluggie24]

Oh, it's the dreaded "dum-dum" bullet thing again? Give me a break...these reporters are absolute morons.

But you have to wonder who is worse....the idiot reporters or the super stupid people that believe what the reporters write.......

From what I have read thus far on the incident it sounds like the kid is being arrested for a "thought crime". Something he maybe thought about doing but didn't do. While I do not want anyone EVER shooting at innocent children in schools I can see how the face of law enforcement is changing. It won't take long till this way of "enforcing" the law will be used in many other forms in society.