FBI arrests Alabama woman after Instagram messages detail school shooting plot

Federal authorities have moved to stop a potential tragedy after arresting two individuals for their involvement in a plotted school shooting. According to a criminal complaint, Katherine Joiner of Wilsonville, Alabama, and Ethan Bassett of Glen, Mississippi, are facing federal charges for transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce.

Investigation Uncovers Threatening Digital Trail

The FBI in Birmingham first flagged concerning activity between the two users on May 18. Investigators discovered that Joiner, operating under the Instagram handle “kissmyxm15,” had spent months sharing content celebrating notorious mass shooters. Court documents filed on May 28 indicate that her posts glorified the perpetrators of the Columbine High School and Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedies, as well as the 2014 Isla Vista attacks.

A Violent Plan

The situation escalated significantly on May 12 when Joiner and Bassett began explicitly discussing plans for violence. In the exchange, Joiner expressed a desire to target 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.” She further claimed access to firearms stored in her family’s basement and urged Bassett to join her in carrying out the act.

Bassett, using the handle “ethanb.bps,” fueled the plot by sharing photographs of an assault rifle, which officials later identified as belonging to his brother. When interviewed by the FBI on May 18, Joiner admitted to the messages and explicitly confirmed that her intent was to facilitate violence at a school.

Swift Federal Response

Law enforcement acted quickly to neutralize the threat. While the FBI confronted Joiner at her home, authorities from the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security located Bassett in Glen. Following his arrest on May 19, Bassett reportedly acknowledged that his detention was for the best given the nature of his online communications.

Both Joiner and Bassett now face charges for aiding and abetting one another in the transmission of these threats. The case remains a stark reminder of the federal investigation efforts by agencies across state lines to prevent such plans from reaching fruition.