A high school student who was arrested on suspicion of planning a shooting at his Ontario school could reach a plea agreement, according to his attorney.
Sebastian Villasenor’s attorney said he’s negotiated a settlement with the prosecutor and expects that agreement will be finalized during next week’s court appearance. He didn’t elaborate on the details, but this case is raising eyebrows because unlike other school shootings, this one never happened.
Villasenor, 18, is accused of plotting a shooting at Ontario Christian High School. The alleged plan came to light after a peer flagged concerns to the authorities due to the defendant’s interest in school shootings. He was arrested back in February.
“He researched tactical supplies and was in the process of choosing a specific date to carry out the school shooting,” Ontario police said in a press conference following Villasenor’s arrest. “He Googled how far the police department response time was to the school.”
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Legal analyst Royal Oaks said the case is a wild card since no violence was carried out.
“This case is very unusual in the sense that there is an allegation of attempted murder but there was no shooting,” Oaks said. “Yes, he bought seven rifles and two revolvers. Yes, he planned to target six individuals at the school but it’s not the same as attempting a murder. Therefore, the case is odd.”
In a statement, Villasenor’s attorney said the 18-year-old should not be facing attempted murder charges.
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“We have always maintained Sebastian's total and complete innocence to the attempted murder charges and the claim he allegedly ‘plotted or planned’ a school shooting,” Villasenor’s attorney, Daniel Deilmon, said in a statement. “In our view, the evidence in this case has never supported those allegations. The proposed plea agreement seems to reflect an understanding that those allegations could never be proven in a criminal trial. Sebastian and his family are eager to put this legal nightmare behind them, and hope he can find a way to move forward with his life in a positive direction after this event."
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said it is in touch with the families of those who were allegedly set to be targeted by the defendant.
Villasenor is scheduled to return to court on May 30.
