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It would fill something in me to like hear about what he did and he wanted to ruin Valentine's Day. >> When a teenager obsessed with mass shooters begins plotting a similar attack at school, investigators struggle to uncover how a fascination with true crime evolves into a plan to kill. >> I wanted to prove that I was like his number one fan. I guess >> on February 11th, 2025, investigators get a tip about online threats targeting Morsville High School in Morgan County, Indiana. In the messages, someone using the name Jamie writes, "I'll be honest. I'm close to shooting mine up, claims to have a firearm, and even sends a photo showing 10 of its magazines." When asked if there is a solid plan, the response is [music] Parkland Part Two. With the attack allegedly just 3 days away, investigators quickly trace the messages back to 18-year-old Trinity Shockley, who is transgender and sometimes goes by Jamie online. >> Do you know why we're here today? Oh, I think it's because of my ex-girlfriend. >> Uh-oh. [clears throat] What happened there? Talk to me about that. >> I What I've been told is that she um she's been out for um she has like two warrants out for her arrest is all I know. >> Oh, I didn't know that. >> But investigators aren't there for the father's girlfriend. >> How's school? >> Pretty good. You like school? >> Yeah, it's okay. >> Do you have friends at school? >> Not so many, but I keep close circle. years ago, I was bullied for my accident, believe it or not. People would like um tease me about it. >> Oh, [clears throat] I'm sorry. >> It made me feel like certain ways and everything. And I have like really bad like bipolar and anger issues. That comes from my mom. >> And it just made me feel like, you know, I didn't want to do anything, but I just kind of like, you know, wanted to I guess like if I had a room with them, I would like, you know, hit them or something. Obviously, I can't do that. I mean, I could, but get in trouble. Mhm. >> Three years earlier, a drunk driver struck Trinity while crossing the street to board the school bus, causing severe injuries. While the teen says the accident became a source of bullying, the aftermath also brought an outpouring of support with students at Moresville High School raising more than $25,000 to help cover medical expenses. But despite that support, Trinity says close friendships at school remained limited, leading the teen to look for connection online. >> Discord. >> Okay. Talk to me about um Discord. Who do you talk to on there? >> Just like on It's mainly just like online friends. >> Sure. >> There's like people in the true crime community that I that I speak with like we all have like similar interests and stuff. >> Okay. >> So, it's mainly just used for that though. And like my one friend who's like interested in anime. What are you going to do after high school? >> Well, funny about that. I was going to get into the uh FBI field. >> Are you okay? >> How what avenue are you going to go down to do that? >> Criminology. >> How did you first learn that you were interested in that? >> Uh a couple of years actually when my mom started watching uh criminology related stuff on television. That's when I started getting into it. >> Okay. >> But inside Trinity's bedroom, investigators find signs that the interest in true crime may have gone much further. Among the items detectives first take note of is a poster for Trinity's favorite movie. >> My favorite movie is Zero Day. Yeah, it's it's about a school shooting. >> Why is Zero Day your favorite movie? >> I just like the actors. >> But the Zero Day poster isn't the only thing in the bedroom reflecting an interest in mass killers. Investigators find photos and collages of Dylan Roof, who murdered nine people inside a Charleston church, and Randy Robert Stair, who killed three co-workers in a Pennsylvania supermarket. They also find buttons featuring Stair attached to Trinity's backpack. But among all of the killers Trinity featured throughout the room, one appeared to occupy a category of his own, Nicholas Cruz. At 19, Cruz entered Marjgery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida with a firearm, murdering 17 people and wounding 17 others. Photos of Cruz cover Trinity's room. And notebook entries reveal intense feelings for the convicted killer, including, "Why can't Nicholas be mine? I need him in my life. I mentally cannot go a day without him. I can't stop thinking about Nicholas. And there are days that I'll cry about you, my forever boy." Given Trinity's intense interest in Cruz, investigators began looking more closely at the similarities between the Parkland shooting and Trinity's online plot for Morsville, which was also set for February 14th, the same day Cruz carried out his attack. >> Do you like Valentine's Day? >> No, you don't. >> Not really. >> Okay. >> It would fill something in me to like hear about what he did. And it's kind of like I hated him for what he did, but at the same time it's like I kind of understood but at the same time not cuz like [snorts] in my opinion he wanted to ruin Valentine's Day. At the same time he wanted to ruin families cuz he didn't have his own. He was he was adopted. [snorts] And I I feel the same way because not that part but like my mom it's like I get upset cuz like other people will be like talking about their moms and stuff and it's like mine's gone. So, [snorts] >> according to police reports, Trinity had recently spoken with a school counselor and disclosed the interest in Cruz. >> I don't idolize him, but I find him very attractive. >> Okay. And that's okay. >> You know, it's not a crime to find someone attractive, but you know, sure. >> Obviously, I don't like what he did. >> Okay. [snorts] >> That conversation had taken place only hours earlier. When detectives ask what had brought Trinity to the counselor, another piece of the story begins to emerge. >> Had a breakdown. >> Oh, no. and I had to skip two classes because recently my mom passed away. >> I can't even imagine how hard that's going to be. [snorts] >> Yeah, he um died of an overdose sadly. >> So, I went down to guidance instead. Talked to the guidance counselor about my mental breakdown about my mom and uh like me being like scared about my future and stuff. I talked to her about like kind of like my obsession with like investigations with like mass murderers and stuff and like me wanting as I said me want to be in the FBI field. I want to you know understand more of that. So I watched them a lot. >> But the loss of Trinity's mother isn't the only source of emotional turmoil within the family. >> I kind of miss my dad like spending time with me and stuff and I guess like it's hard cuz like my dad's not really affectionate or anything and it kind of sucks. So, I kind of I didn't cry or anything, but it just kind of hurts cuz like it feels like he values like someone else more than me. >> As Trinity describes those feelings of anger and rejection, the conversation begins to turn toward how those emotions sometimes come out. >> Sometimes I say stupid stuff though that I don't mean. I would say things about like hurting people and everything >> and I would just like kind of like lie about it because like there's like certain like rage that I feel. But the contents of Trinity's notebooks makes it harder to dismiss the threats as empty. The pages include entries like, "I want to hurt others. I want to pull out an AR-15." And, "I hate you all. Die, die, die." >> Talk to me a little bit more about you making comments about shooting. Was that on Discord? >> Okay. Yeah. What all did you say? >> I said that I would um recreate what Nicholas did, but like I said, I would never do something like that. >> It's okay. It's more of just like a rage thing, even though I I'm trying to get help for it. Um, my dad doesn't believe in like mental health or anything. It's really hard for me to get help. [snorts] >> According to the school's mental health coordinator, Trinity had sought mental health services on several occasions, but Trinity's father refused them. Evidence found at home also suggests an attempt to manage the violent thoughts alone, including handwritten reminders like, "Try to think of less violence. Do you have like a firearm in in mind that you were going to use >> um for for that? >> Mhm. >> The AR. >> The AR. Do you have any firearms or any weapons inside the residence? >> My dad has one in his car, but I don't know how to use it. >> Okay. >> And he keeps it away from me. I can't even hold one, though. I'm I'm really weak. >> No, I can't. >> I'm really weak. >> Inside the father's bedroom, investigators find multiple firearm magazines along with an armored vest. I was wondering, you said you had a pistol in your truck. Yep. >> Would you mind relinquishing that to us for safety reasons? >> You don't have to. You can say no. >> My search warrant was for the apartment. >> I can take it to my dad's house. >> Can you take it to your dad's house? >> Yeah. >> Are all your other firearms at your dad's house? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Why is that? >> Cuz I have an AR and stuff like that. I'm not going to >> Why? >> Cuz um we shoot at his house and stuff like that. all the posters and pictures on her wall. She had journals. You know about the journals? No. You sure they're not at your dad's house because you're a creature? >> But questions about access to the firearms are only part of what investigators are trying to understand. The questioning now turns to motive. >> What would you say would be your motivation for making this plan? probably like honestly it was Nicholas cuz like it wasn't even really me. I wanted to prove that I was like his number one fan. I guess it sounds really cringy when I say that. >> No, I'm not judging you. >> I have this weird emotional attachment to him because I have like really bad like um daddy issues I guess is what you call them. >> Okay. >> It's kind of like I see him as one. That's that's my motivation. What would be your message to everyone? >> What do you mean? >> Well, sometimes when we make plans to to do these things, we're we're trying to [clears throat] send a message or there a feeling behind it. >> I guess like I just wanted people to understand that it's like you have to value your everyday life. You never know. You could die at any minute. >> Yep. So, I guess that's it. >> Okay. >> However, Trinity claims to have recently had a change of heart. >> I thought about it like yesterday and I just kind of was like, you know what? I'm not going to do this because I'm going to ruin my entire life if I do that. >> Okay. >> And like I'm thinking about my future more and more and I'm just like, you know, maybe I can do something that could cuz I kind of uh switched my uh thoughts yesterday while I was at school. And I want to be a um what's it called? Um like a gunshooting activist and like help people like myself get out of that kind of like mindset. But like I said, I I keep mentioning this cuz I don't want you to think I would do it. I'm not judging. >> I'm not judging you. >> I would I'm not going to do it. >> Okay. >> I'm I'm too scared of prison. >> Okay. Give me one second. >> Okay. She told me everything. >> No. All right. [snorts] You could stand up for me. According to court documents, 18-year-old Trinity Shockley pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder as part of a negotiated plea agreement and was sentenced to 20 years in the Indiana Women's Prison with 8 years suspended. 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