The Mifflin County man accused of plotting to carry out a mass shooting at State College Area High School in the spring entered a guilty plea to one felony charge on Tuesday morning.
Braeden Phillips, 20, pleaded guilty to a count of terroristic threats, Centre County First Assistant District Attorney Joshua Andrews said. Charges of conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful possession of a firearm will be dropped as part of the plea agreement.
A plea agreement calls for Phillips to be sentenced to a little more than five months of time served followed by five years of supervision. He will be eligible for release at the time of his sentencing on Sept. 20, but will not be released from custody until a parole plan is in place, Andrews said.
Phillips, a former State High student, will have “intensive conditions of supervision,” and will not be permitted to possess weapons or reside where they are present, go within 100 feet of a school or have contact with witnesses, Andrews added. He will also be required to undergo mental health evaluation and follow-up treatment.
Andrews did not immediately address why the plea agreement was reached.
Phillips was arrested on April 11 after a concerned resident told police he was planning to attack State High. Witnesses said that Phillips began talking about details of the plan in February.
At a preliminary hearing on April 30, witness Owen Smith testified that Phillips discussed using an AR-style rifle and planting explosives in restrooms in an attack planned for the start of the school day on April 21, one day after the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. He also said that Phillips spoke of a “hit list” of people he wanted to target.
Three other witnesses also testified that they heard Phillips discuss aspects of the plan, including one who said he showed her a picture of the gun he planned to use.
A search of Phillips’ home by law enforcement found several shotguns as well as 223 ammo, but not a semi-automatic rifle that would be capable of firing it. A search of Phillips’ phone yielded evidence that suggested Phillips had made layaway payments on such a firearm, State College police detective Craig Ripka said.
Police also did not find the “hit list” referenced by witnesses. When interviewed by investigators, Phillips said he did not have a hit list but did have a “shit list,” Ripka testified.
No bombs, components or instructions for making them, a manifesto or a suicide note were found during the search of Phillips’ residence.
Phillips denied any involvement in a plot, and his attorney, Matt McClenahen repeatedly questioned during the preliminary hearing why the witnesses did not tell police or any other authority figure if they believed he was serious.
“What we have is various young people talking about a hypothetical plot, maybe a fantasy, but nothing overt,” McClenahen said in April. “There never was a plot to attack the school. Never was going to happen. It could not have happened. And we should all be happy about that.”
Phillips has been held at the Centre County Correctional Facility without bail since his arrest.
