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A teenager from Washington state has been charged with attempted murder after a Florida resident reported seeing his TikTok video that featured a color-coded map of his high school. The map included legends marked as “gear up,” “potential targets,” “targets,” “glass,” “be wary of,” and “exit.”
Fourteen-year-old Mason Bently-Ray Ashby faces 13 charges following a search of his home, where law enforcement officials discovered the video, a manifesto, and gun safes containing 24 weapons, according to a report from Law&Crime.
The TikTok video was initially noticed by a person in Florida, who then reached out to the FBI. The agency proceeded to trace the origin of the post, KEPR reported. By September 20, FBI agents had pinpointed the location to Kennewick, Washington, and alerted local police.
Police traced cell phone data to a 14-year-old freshman who attends Kamiakin High School — the school seen in the map on TikTok.
Upon executing a search warrant at Ashby’s home—where he resides with his grandparents, according to the Tri-City Herald—authorities found 24 firearms locked in safes, various documents relating to school shootings, and a color-coded map of the high school akin to the one in the TikTok video, but with added details. These annotations included notes such as “10:47 – 11:25 AM peak students” and “could shoot through windows,” referencing the school library.
Investigators also located videos and photographs capturing Ashby handling guns in his residence, and a video dated September 19 filmed within the school. In this footage, Ashby is seen discussing the school library’s structure and the possibility of shooting through windows.
In fact, the search warrant says, his internet search history included how bullets interact with glass.
Authorities additionally discovered a “manifesto” in which Ashby outlined how he had deciphered the locks to the gun safes at his home—safes that contained 24 guns. A segment of the manifesto was revealed via a screenshot:
“Hey, you found my manifesto I am sure you will all be laughing at me by the time you figure out who I am and why I did what I did, especially you people on WPD I wonder if you’ll find my accounts haha, I’m sure my discord and other social media will be released nearly instantly after the massacre. I’ve sent close friends photos of me that will be considered rare or unreleased by the time my plan goes through, hell maybe I’ll even record the attack and send it to a select few. I’ll start with this, at the time of writing I am 14 years old … I turn 15 soon and I’m sure I’ll still be writing then I won’t disclose my name on a google doc but I believe in you guys to find that information yourselves! Anyways, let’s get into me as a person! And then we can talk about why I did this later (probably all you’re here for) … “
The court documents also say detectives learned Ashby was displaying Glock pistol recently while he was with friends — that gun was found to be missing by his grandparents after his arrest, Law&Crime said. Those friends told police they had no idea what Ashby was planning, but parents of one them found messages explaining that another of them had taken the Glock and hidden it. Those messages were sent after Ashby’s arrest. Police found it near the Kennewick mall.
That boy, also 14, pleaded guilty in juvenile court to charges of illegal gun possession, tampering with evidence, and making a false statement to police and was sentenced to 40 days in juvenile detention, 12 months probation, and 25 hours of community service. He also lost his right to own a gun for the rest of his life.
Ashby’s bail has been set at $1 million, KEPR said. He is charged with attempted murder, 11 counts of second-degree possession of handguns, and a threat to harm property, according to Law&Crime.
Benton County Prosecutor Eric Eisinger told the Herald that Ashby is too young to be charged as a adult for attempted murder; only first- or second-degree murder can move a defendant at 14 to adult court. The maximum sentence he could receive if he’s convicted is jail in a juvenile facility until he is 21.