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Mom: Bartlesville Teen Didn't Seriously Plan Violence

Washington County Booking Photo

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) — The mother of an Oklahoma teen accused of plotting to attack his high school says her son has symptoms of possible mental illnesses, but did not seriously plan violence.

Jessie Chavez told the Tulsa World that 18-year-old Sammie Eaglebear Chavez sent her a text two days before his December 14th arrest saying he wanted to "shoot up" Bartlesville High School because he thought students were talking about him behind his back.

She says she showed it to therapists but had not decided whether to take further action by the time he was arrested.

He's being held on a charge of conspiring to cause serious bodily harm or death to other students.

His arrest came hours before a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school.