Students arrested, accused of plotting shooting at Arizona school graduation

PHOENIX — Two students at a combined junior and senior high school far east of Phoenix were arrested Monday, after school officials learned of alleged plans to shoot classmates at graduation, authorities said.

Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd said in a news release posted online that the arrests were made after his office investigated information given to them by the principal at Miami Junior Senior High School.

The names of the minors were not released. The students were charged with threats and intimidation and interfering with an educational institution.

The principal told Shepherd the attack had been set for the eighth-grade class graduation ceremony. That event was scheduled May 24.

Miami is about 80 miles east of Phoenix along U.S. 60.

Shepherd said the investigation was continuing and thanked the Miami school for its prompt response to the threat, calling law enforcement immediately.

In April, the principal of a middle school in nearby Globe resigned after failing to report the school had possibly been targeted for a bomb threat.

The administrator admitted knowing of four students’ plan for High Desert Middle School that involved a “map and … homemade bombs and handguns” in late March.

A parent told Globe police after hearing the story from one of her children.

The students were charged with felonies and suspended; the administrator was charged with endangerment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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