Family Members Tip Police to 15 Year Old with guns and bomb supplies in backpack, stopping Paw Paw High School Shooting

New revelations about a school shooting plot show just how close we came to another tragedy.

Van Buren County deputies say a 15-year-old boy had a bag packed with guns and bombs and was prepared to go to Paw Paw High School today and unleash a violent attack.

But, thanks to the boy's family members, the plot was stopped in its tracks Sunday night.

All Paw Paw schools were closed today as a precaution.

The 15-year-old is being held at the Allegan County Jail, but he appeared before a judge through video conference on the day he allegedly planned to shoot up Paw Paw High School.

The threat has left parents and school staff shaken, as classes were cancelled Monday.

"It has to be taken seriously because this is serious, I mean it is life or death," Jennifer Lang said.

A swift investigation by the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office led to the arrest of a 15-year-old with a sinister plot to shoot up the school.

"He expressed to us when he was interviewed that he was planning or thinking of doing this when he was 21 [years-old] but due to a notebook being discovered at school, he thought he would go ahead and do it now," Cpl. Eric Rottman with the Paw Paw Police Department said.

Testimony by Cpl. Rottman revealed the detailed motives investigators found in a notebook, offering insight into the mind of the troubled teen.

"He did not give us any specific names, but he did in fact have a hit list of people he was targeting for different reasons," Cpl. Rottman said.

He goes on to describe the steps the teen outlined about how he would go about the alleged shooting and bombing.

"He expressed to us that he was planning on going to the high school this morning and using those, not only the devices but the firearms," Cpl. Rottman said.

The prosecution is calling for the 15-year-old Paw Paw student to be tried as an adult.

Parents are still trying to figure out what they believe would be the best way to handle to situation.

"So, there are people that care about him, so I don't think we can write him off and put him in a room and leave him for the rest of his life, but we can't just let him go, but I mean I don't want him back in the school with my kid ever," Lang said.

A designation hearing is scheduled for March 29. Classes will resume at all Paw Paw Public Schools Tuesday, but there will be an added police presence.