Deputies arrest former McAlester High School student after shooting threat
by Megan Butler, Kim Jackson, KTUL Staff
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TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office arrested a young woman Monday morning for allegedly threatening to shoot hundreds of people at McAlester High School.
Deputies were told 18-year-old Alexis Wilson was showing a coworker at the Pizza Inn videos of herself shooting an AR-15 rifle that she'd just bought. She told the coworker that she was going to shoot 400 people for fun, adding there were so many people at her old school that she'd like to do it.
Deputies went to Wilson's home and took her into custody.
She told police she had just purchased an AK-47 and was telling her coworker about it, so she wouldn't fear guns. Wilson said she'd had a friend who had threatened to shoot 400 people for fun before and she was just using that friend as an example.
"In today's times, you can’t say stuff like that. And anytime something is said, we are going to take it serious and we are going to investigate it to the full extent and make an arrest if possible because we do not want any of our schools getting shot up. Nobody doe, so we are going to do anything we can to prevent this," said Pittsburgh County Sheriff Chris Morris.
Wilson had recently been to Camp Thunderbird and had completed the program. She tried to enroll back into McAlester High School, but they didn't allow it. Wilson said she tried to take night courses for her GED, but the school didn't offer them. She can't take day classes because of work.
Deputies said Wilson seemed upset about not being able to go back to school, but she denied being mad about it.
Wilson told deputies she'd been bullied in the past at the school, but was good about ignoring it.
Wilson denied showing a coworker videos of her shooting the AK-47 but said she did show photos.
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Deputies found the gun, as well as a 12-gauge shotgun, multiple magazines, and rounds of ammunition in her room.
After speaking to the school, deputies learned there were some previous violent issues with Wilson since 2013 and ongoing where she'd been suspended for bringing a knife to school and another time where she has a swastika symbol on her personal belongings.
"She had some problems, but I am not aware of anything would draw attention as a potential for something like this, " said McAlester Public School Superintendent, Randy Hughes.
Deputies arrested Wilson for terrorist threats toward McAlester High School. That left school administrators and student with mixed feelings.
"I am saddened by the state of where we are at in our society. I am grateful to God for watching over us. I am grateful for our police department for acting swiftly and quickly. I am relieved. You always look at the other side and think what could have happened. We don’t want any of our kids hurt," said Hughes.
Wilson is being held on a $250,000 bond.
