A potential school shooting was prevented in College Place, Washington, thanks to a mother turning in her 17-year-old son.

The woman, who asked CBS News to be referred to only as Nicole, made the decision after reading her son’s journal and seeing plans to attack College Place High School on April 20, 2020, the anniversary of the Columbine shootings. Her son was arrested by the College Place Police for plotting an attack.

“I know a lot of people that go to College Place High School,” Nicole said. “Their lives would have been forever changed. It's devastating. I know I did all I can do and that I made the right choice”

Nicole said that her son’s writings went into disturbing detail, including plans to bring multiple guns, detonate pipe bombs, and “execute survivors.” When initially confronted, Nicole’s son told her that what she read was just a creating writing exercise. Despite her feeling that she’s done something wrong as a mother, authorities believe that Nicole made the right call.

Despite references to specific firearms in his journal, police found no weapons or bombs when they searched the teen’s belongings, but did find books that could help him create them. Nicole mentioned that she found some materials that could be used to create pipe bombs in her son’s possession and disposed of them.

“She's very courageous,” College Place Police Chief Troy Tomaras said. “It's clearly very emotional for her. She loves her son.”

Nicole said that her son has battled depression in the past and hopes that this arrest will get him the help he needs.

College Place is a city of 8,765 near Walla Walla, Washington, in Walla Walla County near the Oregon border. It is roughly 260 miles southeast of Seattle.

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Representational image Getty Images/Jonathan Alcorn
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