Police: Bloomington student says he will 'break shooting record'

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) - In the days since the massacre of teachers and students in Newtown, there have been a number of copycat threats made in schools across the country.

Tuesday evening, Bloomington Police took steps to prevent a similar tragedy.

Bloomington Police Captain Joe Qualters says police served a warrant at the home of a Bloomington High School South student. Police took two handguns, two shotguns and two rifles from the home.

Police got the warrant after they were called to the school Monday afternoon.

They say a male student allegedly told another student of his plans to "break the record" and made references to the twenty-six people killed in the Connecticut school shooting.

Police said the student had indicated that he had a gun in his locker and told the other student that the shooting was supposed to take place this Friday, December 21st.

Police searched the student's lockers and backpack, and didn't find a weapon.

As officers were discussing the comments the student made earlier, police say the student said he was "excited" when he first heard about the shooting in Connecticut and said that the killer must have "snapped". He told the officer that he liked guns and felt "powerful" when he had a gun in his hand.

Tuesday, police served the search warrant at the student's parents home, where they say he had access to weapons. They were not owned by the student, and ammunition was supposedly kept in a safe. Regardless, police say under the guidelines of the Jake Laird Law, law enforcement can remove weapons from those who could pose a threat.

Police took the student in for evaluation and will consult with other agencies about charges.

Captain Qualters told 24-Hour News 8 Tuesday night it is imperative to take all threats seriously, and regardless of the actual intentions of this case, he commends the student who came forward with this information.