The last two weeks have been plagued with mass shootings—much less looking back at the entire year—but an event last month has gone undiscussed until now. Thanks to a grandmother in Lubbock, Texas, we can talk about a mass shooting that didn’t happen.
In July, 19-year-old William Patrick Williams from Lubbock, Texas, told his grandmother he purchased an AK-47 and planned to “shoot up” a hotel, then die by suicide, says the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Texas. What did grandma do? She brought him to a hospital for treatment. She was able to get him hospitalized by citing concern for his personal well-being, as well as for the safety of others.
"The grandmother could hear Williams manipulating a firearm on the phone and was able to persuade Williams to let her pick him up" and take him to a hospital for psychiatric care, the complaint reads, as reported by NBC News.
When Williams spoke to police officers later, he confirmed that he had been staying in a hotel. As noted in the complaint, police found "an AK-47 rifle, seventeen magazines loaded with 7.62 ammunition, a black trench coat, multiple knives, black tactical pants, a black T-shirt that said 'Let 'Em Come', and black tactical gloves with the fingers cut off."
Williams, who had been living with his aunt and uncle at the time he purchased the weapon, allegedly falsified information during the sale. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found that Williams did not accurately state his current address on an ATF form. Williams allegedly moved, but wrote his former address (being the aunt and uncle’s) on the form. He has been charged with making false statements to a firearms dealer because of his claim that he lived at an address where he had been evicted.
His uncle "did not want Williams at the house alone because Williams had weapons," the man explained to prosecutors, as was cited in the complaint.
“This was a tragedy averted,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “I want to praise the defendant’s grandmother, who saved lives by interrupting this plot.”
He could face up to five years in federal prison.
Also: If you (or someone you know) is struggling with mental health, please check out these five free resources for mental health support and suicide prevention.