FBI arrests Alabama woman after Instagram messages detail school shooting plot

Federal authorities have moved to stop a potential tragedy after arresting two individuals connected to a planned school shooting. According to a criminal complaint, Katherine Joiner of Wilsonville, Alabama, and Ethan Bassett of Glen, Mississippi, have been charged in the U.S. District Court of Mississippi with transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce.

Investigation into Instagram threats

The FBI in Birmingham first flagged the disturbing messages between the two users on May 18. An affidavit filed on May 28 revealed that Joiner, operating under the Instagram handle “kissmyxm15,” had been posting content celebrating mass shootings between February and May 2026. Her posts explicitly referenced historical tragedies, including the Columbine and Sandy Hook shootings, as well as the Isla Vista attacks.

Planning violence

Court documents detail a chilling exchange between Joiner and Bassett on May 12, where the two discussed plans to commit acts of violence. Joiner explicitly proposed targeting a location with minimal security, stating, “I haven’t really made a plan but killing people and then myself has been on my mind for a while I wouldn’t mind doing it with you.”

During the conversation, Joiner claimed access to firearms stored in her home’s basement, while Bassett reportedly sent her photographs of an assault rifle linked to his brother. Joiner confessed to agents that she was “serious” about the plot, admitting, “I’ve been wanting to do something like this but I’m too much of a coward. now that you’re here I feel better.”

Arrests and charges

Law enforcement acted swiftly on May 18. FBI agents interviewed Joiner at her Wilsonville residence, where she confirmed she authored the messages and admitted her intent was to inflict violence at a school. Simultaneously, the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security contacted and subsequently arrested Bassett in Glen.

Upon his arrest, Bassett acknowledged the gravity of the situation, remarking that being taken into custody was “probably for the best” due to his statements on social media. Both individuals now face federal charges for aiding and abetting one another in the transmission of threatening communications across state lines as reported by 205focus.com.