“I’m Jared Cano, but you guys probably know who I am by now. For those of you retards who don’t know who I am, I’m the Freedom High School shooter in Tampa, Florida. Well, I will be in a couple months. I just thought I’d make some videos … so the government can’t just tell you I’m some crazy, nutty, loony nut. … My plan is to set a bomb here at point A, here at point B, point C, and point D. … The bombs blow at 7:26. … I’m going to walk into the parking lot and shoot anybody there.”
Cano uttered these words in a cell phone video describing a detailed plan to bomb his former high school and shoot students and staff as they escaped. Law enforcement successfully mitigated the threat before he could act, and he was later sentenced to 15 years in prison.
This article argues that written and spoken communications authored and leaked by lone perpetrators like Cano who actively plan and prepare targeted violence can be utilized to prevent destructive attacks. Targeted violence refers to intended attacks by an offender who preselects one or more targets, such as people at a specific location in a public setting (e.g., school, workplace, concert).