Teen Who Threatened Delco School Shooting Had 1600 Rounds Of Ammo

UPPER DARBY, PA – The Taiwanese foreign exchange student who allegedly threatened to shoot up Bonner Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill had more than 1,600 rounds of ammo and a homemade 9mm handgun in his possession, Upper Darby Police said in a press conference Monday.

Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said Monday that An Tso Sun, 18, of Taiwan, had hundreds of rounds of various ammunition as well as the handgun in addition to the other items found in his host family's home last week.

Chitwood said police found ammunition for a 12-gague shotgun, 9mm ammo, AR15 and AK47 ammo, and various assorted ammo, totaling about 1,660 rounds.

He went on to say the 9mm handgun was made by Sun, who purchased various handgun parts online that were assembled to make the firearm functional.

Sun, whose address is listed as Lansdowne but is a Taiwan native in the U.S. on a student visa, has been charged with making terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize others after allegedly making the shooting threat toward the school.

A black bag contained the ammo and gun, Chitwood said, but the bag was removed from Sun's room by his host parent before police searched it last week. Chitwood said the host parent is not facing charges yet and that she is cooperating "to a point."

Police did not say how or where the bag with the ammo and gun was found.

In the search of the home, police found 20 9mm ammo rounds, a crossbow with arrows, a military vest, a strangling tool, a loading device for AR15s and AK47s, a black ski mask, a backpack with ammo pouches, and more.

Sun's attorney last week said some of those items were part of a Halloween costume, but Chitwood said the costume is completely separate from what police recovered.

Sun allegedly threatened to shoot up the Catholic high school in May, but a fellow student reported the alleged threat to administrators who then contacted police and the host parent.

Police said Sun was researching AR15 and AK47 rifles online using a school-issued iPad, allegedly looking to purchase a rifle.

"There is no doubt in our mind he was planning something," Chitwood said Monday. "When you look at the totality of the equipment... I think we prevented a major tragedy from happening."

He called Sun's ability to buy that much ammunition while not being a United States citizen and only residing in the states since August "mind boggling."

Police are meeting with Homeland Security agents Wednesday to discuss the case, Chitwood said.

He was arrested Tuesday, March 27.

Sun is being held in the Delaware County jail on 10 percent of $100,000 bail, court records show.

He is set to appear for a preliminary hearing on April 11.

Image via Upper Darby Police