Trans teen who planned Colorado school shootings and wrote disturbing manifesto sentenced to six years in prison

Colorado’s 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office reported that William 'Lily' Whitworth was sentenced to six years in prison in the Department of Corrections, followed by three years of mandatory probation. The 19-year-old, who identifies as transgender, was arrested last year by Colorado Springs police for plotting mass shootings at schools and churches.

"The defendant admitted to planning an attack"

On November 6, 2023, Whitworth pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for threatening to attack three schools in Colorado Springs Academic District 20. The prosecutor's office detailed that "on March 31, 2023, deputies with the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a 'disturbance' call at a home in Elbert County. A family member told the dispatcher that the defendant had threatened to shoot up a school and was punching holes a wall.”

Authorities found evidence inside the man's home, including a manifesto that included names of people he planned to kill and indicated that, in addition to schools, he planned to target churches. The suspect allegedly also researched how to 3D print firearms and how to make bombs. According to the New York Post, police "also recovered was a four-page manifesto which contained words of praise for serial killer Ed Kemper and Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza.”

The district attorney's office explained that it was informed that the defendant had told a prison staff member that if he could make bail, he would still attempt to carry out his original mass shooting plan.