The terrifying manifesto of 13-year-old boy who carried a rifle into school to commit a massacre, only to change his mind at the last minute and commit suicide, has been revealed.
Keith Simons, who idolized Columbine mass shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, shot himself dead in the bathrooms of Jackson Memorial Middle School, in Ohio, on February 20.
But investigators have since uncovered eight-point plan of attack on his phone, which revealed that the teen had been planning to murder his classmates.
Keith Simons, who idolized Columbine mass shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, shot himself dead in the bathrooms of Jackson Memorial Middle School, in Ohio, on February 20
The chilling manifesto revealed how the teen hoped his mass killing would be ‘bigger than anything this country’s ever seen.’
‘I will never be forgotten. I’ll be a stain in American history and the Simons’ history, it’s going to be so mutch [sic] fun,’ he wrote. ‘They won’t expect a thing.’
Simons also wanted his attack to inspire other mass shootings at schools up and down the country.
It’s still not clear why the 13-year-old decided not to open fire on his classmates.
The teen had walked into Jackson Memorial Middle School (pictured) with a rifle, 80 rounds of ammunition and fireworks on February 20
An official talks with a motorist outside Jackson Township Middle School after Simons shot himself with the gun he brought to school
Students were stood around outside the school after teachers found Simons had shot himself
Chief Mark Brink said: ‘We seriously don’t know what made him change his mind [about killing others].
‘But we thank God every day, whatever changed his mind, changed his mind.’
Simons had been planning to attack his school since the Florida high school shooting on February 14, which left 17 dead and 15 injured.
On February 20, at around 7.10am, Simons walked onto the school bus with a notable limp. Authorities now believe he may have been hiding a 22-caliber rifle down the leg of his pants.
The teen also had a backpack stuffed with 80 rounds of ammunition and an assortment of fireworks, batteries and an aerosol can which cops believe he may have been planning to use as a bomb. However, bomb experts say that he didn’t have the necessary components to make a successful bomb.
Simons social media pages revealed a young boy who was deeply fascinated by weapons
In another post, liked by members of his family, Simons simply shared a photo of a knife with the letter K
Simons arrived at the middle school at around 7.45am, when he limped inside and headed straight to the boys’ restroom, where another student was inside. It’s not clear whether he spoke to the other boy.
A few minutes later, school surveillance footage showed him emerging from the bathroom carrying the rifle in his hands.
Incredibly, despite four students standing around the bathroom area, no one seemed to notice Simons was holding the weapon.
The boy who had been in the bathroom with the would-be shooter, exited the restroom, having spotted the rifle, went to tell a teacher.
But Simons decided to go back inside the bathroom and at 7.50am, a teacher found him with a self-imposed gunshot wound. The seventh grader was rushed to hospital but died the following day.
Simons (left and right) also wanted his attack to inspire other mass shootings at schools up and down the country
His parents, Misty and Chad Simons (pictured with Simons and his other children) have not commented, but the family appears to be defending the teen despite the revelations he wanted to be a mass shooter
It was only after the student died, that authorities found the worrying memo on his phone.
They revealed he’d been thinking about shooting up his school for months, but had been moved to take action by the Florida school shooting.
‘I’ll look in to those scared little britches’ [sic] eyes before I kill them,’ he wrote February 17, according to police records. ‘It’s going to be fun.’
He also hoped to inspire other kids to kill their classmates, after he wrote that he was inspired by the Columbine High School shooters.
‘Now I’ll have followers because I’m so awesome,’ he wrote. ‘I know someone will follow me just like I followed [the Columbine shooters].
They say school shootings are horrible but they don’t think like us, like me, Eric and Dylan.’
The teen also wrote that his parents and family shouldn’t be blamed for his attack.
‘When they interview my parents and ask how they didn’t see the signs, they should know it’s not them, it’s me and it’s because of how I see the world,’ he wrote.
‘I’d hurt and destroy something bigger but my school’s an easy target.’
His parents, Misty and Chad Simons, have not commented, but the family appears to be defending the teen despite the revelations he wanted to be a mass shooter.
His aunt Destiny Singleton insisted on Facebook: ‘My nephew was not evil, he was a sweet, loving and caring boy. I will defend my bub until the end.
‘He was a good boy no matter what.’
Another relative, Ally Rebbekkah Lyn Yarnell. added: ‘I love you so much Keith. We all love you so much. The family will always stand by you because we all new how amazing you are in your own little ways.’
An obituary, which has since been taken down, described Simons, who was born in Germany, as ‘a caring, quiet and gentle person’ who enjoyed practical jokes, archery, Nerf Battle and video games.
Yet his family’s recollections of the teen don’t seem to square with the angry young boy who was planning to murder dozens of people.
The school has since stepped up its security and is stationing two police officers at Jackson High and Jackson Middle schools, and one at the elementary schools, until the end of the year.
‘I believe we need to come together as a community like we never have come together before,’ Chief Brink said Thursday, urging parents to lock up their guns and keep an eye on their children’s internet usage.