Documents Reveal Nature of Threat Against Vista Murrieta High

A tight wrap is still being kept on the case involving two 15-year-old Vista Murrieta High School students accused of planning to carry out a “mass homicide” at the school.

Suspects Reed Peery and Samuel Noble by law can be identified, but details about the trial proceedings or whether they remained in custody at Southwest Juvenile Hall can not, according to John Hall, spokesperson for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The charges, conspiracy to commit murder, do not fall under proceedings open to the public and therefore the media, Hall said.

“Our office takes these allegations very seriously and will treat them as such,” Hall told Patch. “We all expect our children to be in a safe environment when they are at school and therefore any time their safety is potentially put at risk, we take it very seriously.”

The Murrieta Valley Unified School District could also not comment on the status of the disciplinary measures being taken against the two boys.

“Although I can not speak to the discipline that will take place in this instance, in situations where threats are made of this sort, expulsion would be pursued,” said Karen Parris, district spokesperson.

Nature of the Alleged Threats

Reed and Samuel allegedly made comments in June on the website Omegle that described parts of their plan to carry out the attack at Vista Murrieta on April 20, 2015, Adolf Hitler’s birthday and the anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, Colo., according to search warrant documents filed by Murrieta police.

“During the conversation over the Internet, the subject (s) explained a plan to use napalm and C-4 explosives while shooting people...,” wrote Murrieta police.

“The subject (s) appeared to show no remorse for would-be victims and did not fear the idea they would be killed during the incident,” police wrote, noting they described themselves as “nihilists.”

An unidentified person in Miami, Fla., contacted the FBI about the threats. The FBI was able to track the IP address to an address in unincorporated Murrieta. A San Diego FBI agent and a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputy went to Samuel’s home and found both boys. At the time, the warrants stated the Nobles declined to hand over a computer the boys allegedly used while making the online comments.

FBI and the sheriff’s department notified Murrieta police that the two boys were students at Vista Murrieta High School.

The warrant was filed in an order to obtain the computer or computers used by the boys at the Noble residence.

When police interviewed Reed, he reportedly admitted to making some of the comments online, and that he had a plan to carry out the attack. A handwritten journal found by investigators allegedly described the date of attack as “NBK,” for Natural Born Killer, police wrote.

“In this writing, he explained he would retaliate against school personnel for enforcing dress code laws,” police wrote.

Reed’s mother consented to the search and handed over her son’s computer and cell phone, police wrote.

Police reviewed images on the cell phone and reportedly found a video that panned the Vista Murrieta campus.

A thumb drive used by Reed to save information about the plan of attack was also retrieved.

“…(One) of them would enter the campus from the west area (parking lot) and one would enter from the north (main entrance of the school),” police wrote.

Police also saw a photo of Reed holding a 1911-style handgun, pointing it at his Pit bull.

“(Reed) determined they would use pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails to aggress each individual classroom, setting fire to the classrooms and shooting any students who fled from the classroom,” police wrote.

Police determined the boys conspired to “coordinate and execute a mass homicide” at the school, according to the warrant.

Reed and Samuel were arrested Aug. 16 following a nearly weeklong investigation, and just a few days before the school year was due to begin at Vista Murrieta.

Would the Campus Have Been Prepared?

The potential attack was caught more than two years before it was allegedly going to be carried out.

Should it have occurred, a Murrieta Valley Unified School District official assured the public that school staff and students would have been well versed in what steps to take.

“In this case it would have been a manmade emergency that would have called for a lockdown,” said Wayne Sakamoto, director of school safety for the district.

The district carries out three to four lockdown drills at each high school site per year, Sakamoto said. During a lockdown, all students and staff are directed to stay in place and all rooms are immediately locked. Students outside are directed to go to the nearest safest room with a staff member, he said.

“Generally it is for us to practice whether we can lock down or if we should evacuate,” Sakamoto said, noting students are also drilled for what to do in the event of earthquakes, fires or other natural disasters.

“There is a multi-step plan for these scenarios,” Sakamoto said. “There is a six- or seven-step protocol that we use.”

Following the drills, Sakamoto said there is always a de-briefing.

“If we find staff who are not compliant they are reminded that this is as important as their job in the classroom,” Sakamoto said.

Sakamoto said a big part of his job entails attending school safety trainings with the Department of Justice and California Department of Education. The district also works closely with the Murrieta Police Department, he said.

“We are full partners with our Police Department in going through drills to be as ready as possible.”

Another key part of ensuring safe campuses is school culture, he said.

“We engage and try to connect with all pupils. Part of that is so things like this can be reported to faculty.”