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Brendan Vaughan, 18, a student at Washingtonville High School in Orange County, made a post on Snapchat in June, stating that he needed a gun and questioning “what would happen if someone shot up the school tomorrow.” The threats led to a search of his home and subsequent arrest.
“Investigators discovered evidence in the home, and obtained a statement from the suspect, supporting information that he was in the planning stages of some sort of attack at the school, and posed a threat to public safety,” Washingtonville Police Chief Brian Zacarro said in a press release at the time of his initial arrest.
Vaughan returned to following his June 4 arrest, when he was charged with the felony and a pair of misdemeanors for falsely reporting an incident. He has not been indicted and remains free on $75,000 bond. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“We are confident if not for the vigorous work by the investigators involved, and the cooperation of the district, this threat could have resulted in a catastrophe," Zacarro added. At the time of his arrest, investigators found evidence inside his Washingtonville home that “suggested that he was in the planning stages of some sort of attack at the high school and that he posed a threat to public safety.”
According to the Times Herald-Record, Vaugan had his right to a speedy trial waived, which means the start of the trial may be later than the standard six-month stipulation. He is due back in court on Oct. 10.
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