Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish said a 16-year-old Gainesville High School student had every intention of harming members of a black church congregation; in fact, she had already visited Bethel AME on Mill Street once.
"She had procured some knives and figured out where this church was through an internet search and had scouted it out," Parrish said. "[She] actually had gone there, but they didn't have church service the day that she went...by divine intervention and the grace of God, that prevented the first attack."
Parrish said based on the information investigators uncovered, the girl had planned to return to the church at a time when members were meeting in small groups, not during a Sunday morning service.
Parrish said there was no indication the suspect was targeting specific members of the church, but she had planned the attack because the church's congregants are black. He said church leadership is understandably scared.
"They're alarmed. They want to know, as well as we do, is this over with and what's in store for her going forward," Parrish said. "A lot of those answers we don't have."
At this point, investigators believe the suspect was acting alone, according to Parrish.
For now, the girl is charged as a juvenile with criminal attempt to commit murder, but Parrish said it is possible more charges are forthcoming. He said prosecuting the girl as an adult is something the courts will have to decide. He said District Attorney Lee Darragh was reviewing evidence.
Parrish said not only has the arrest frightened the members of Bethel AME and shaken the student body at Gainesville High, but it's been disturbing for him.
"I'm proud that we live in what we call a majority-minority community - I think that's a great thing - and it hurts my heart to know that someone can have that level of hate based on someone's skin color," Parrish said.
Parrish also applauded the student who went to school administrators at Gainesville High School with concerns about the suspect. Administrators investigated and then went to School Resource Officers (SROs) with their concerns, and the suspect was arrested Friday.
"Without those partnerships, I think this could have had a far more tragic outcome," Parrish said.
Follow this link for the original story on the arrest.
