Surprise Does Not Ensue

Oh, Look, It's That Thing That Never Happens Happening Again

Andrea “Alex” Ye

Law enforcement officials apprehended an 18-year-old transgender individual who purportedly intended to carry out a school shooting in a bid for notoriety, as per reports. Identified as Andrea Ye, who prefers the name Alex, the individual was arrested on Wednesday on charges of making threats of mass violence. The arrest followed the discovery of a 129-page document described as a 'manifesto', wherein Ye allegedly detailed plans for a shooting at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. Police acted swiftly upon uncovering the document, which purportedly outlined strategies for executing the intended act of violence.

Reportedly, within the document, Ye expressed a desire for fame and purportedly contemplated the idea of targeting an elementary school due to the perceived ease of targeting young children. Court records obtained by ABC indicate that Ye initially labeled the manifesto as 'fiction', but later referred to it as 'his memoir'.

Montgomery County Public Schools informed Fox that Ye remains an enrolled student at Wootton High School in Rockville, although exclusively participating in virtual learning since 2022 and has not physically attended campus.

According to police statements in court documents, Ye's biological sex is female, yet she prefers the use of male pronouns.

Upon receiving notification from the FBI regarding the manifesto, Montgomery County Police secured a search warrant, leading to the discovery of internet searches, drawings, and documents related to potential mass violence threats.

Allegedly, Ye included a disclaimer within the document stating it does not reflect the author's personal beliefs. However, a witness, who contacted authorities in early March, expressed concerns regarding the striking resemblance between the manifesto and Ye. The witness purportedly believed the writings suggested Ye's readiness to carry out a mass shooting imminently, as detailed in court documents reviewed by ABC.

Authorities stated that the manifesto exhibits elements of both fiction and non-fiction.

Court records indicate that the witness informed law enforcement that Ye's 'memoir' centered around a transgender protagonist named 'James Wang'.

They indicated that 'Wang' endured bullying at school and faced other challenges that the witness believed mirrored Ye's real-life experiences, suggesting a departure from fictional storytelling.

According to ABC reports, the manifesto outlined the character's strategy of selecting classrooms perceived as easy targets, along with contemplations of targeting Ye's former elementary school due to the vulnerability of young children.

Law enforcement stated they uncovered social media activity and search history purportedly conducted by Ye, including inquiries about nearby gun ranges. Court documents reviewed by ABC reportedly quote Ye acknowledging the ethical reprehensibility of his plan, describing it as selfish and evil.

The documents purportedly reveal Ye communicating with an online user about the worsening of his homicidal thoughts, expressing a potential inclination to act upon them. Subsequently, Ye allegedly remarked, 'I'd want to kill a lot of people or it wouldn't be worth it.'

On Wednesday, Ye was apprehended and is presently detained in the Montgomery County Jail awaiting a bond hearing, having not yet entered a plea.

Court documents obtained by ABC reveal Ye's extensive history of receiving inpatient mental health treatment, during which she openly discussed homicidal and suicidal thoughts.

As per the court records, Ye had been previously hospitalized due to threats of committing a school shooting.

In March, following an evaluation at his residence, Ye was hospitalized once more. Subsequently, the hospital alerted school and law enforcement authorities regarding the perceived threat posed by Ye.

A counselor familiar with Ye's case informed authorities that she frequently vocalized violent intentions such as shooting up the school, often exhibiting a smile while doing so, according to the documents reviewed by ABC.

Yet, we should all just Be Kind.