Three middle school students in western New York on Friday have been charged with allegedly plotting an attack on students and staff at their school after police found them with access to firearms and other dangerous materials.
But the attack was foiled after a threat from one student to another on a gaming app led the law authorities to open an investigation in the case, informed a US enforcement official on Friday.
The names of the student are still under the wraps that are charged with second-degree conspiracy and accused of planning an armed assault, the New York Times reported.
Rochester is a city on the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York
The students were removed from Albion Middle School, northwest of Rochester, pending an investigation into "inappropriate and threatening messages" disseminated on a gaming app and social media platforms, according to the Albion Central School District superintendent.
According to the Orleans County district attorney, Joseph V. Cardone, the student was returned to their family under the supervision of the county's Department of Probation.
The Albion police chief, Roland Nenni, said that the students were planning to make use of guns that are legally owned by their parents at a predetermined date against their fellow students.
"The students' plan was to enter the school with explosive and incendiary devices and firearms to kill and injure students and staff," Chief Nenni said.
Michael S. Bonnewell, the Albion Central School District superintendent said that the authorities were investigating reports of "threatening messages and images" on a voice and messaging app that is popular with players of online games.
( With inputs from ANI )