Cops: Students plotted campus shooting PLAN: Two were arrested before attack could take place.

Byline: Daniel Tedford, Staff Writer

COVINA - Police say two suburban high school students had a pair of loaded handguns, a spooky drawing depicting a killing and the intention of randomly shooting people on campus.

But the students' plot was discovered before any violence.

The boys, ages 15 and 16, both of West Covina, were charged Friday after the older student's stepfather contacted West Covina police to say his guns were missing from a gun locker.

Covina High students knew two classmates brought guns to school at least three times but failed to tell teachers or administrators, the school's principal said Friday.

The two boys brought guns to school on three previous occasions in recent months and had talked about killing classmates, West Covina Police and school officials said. Several friends of the suspected students had seen the guns when the pair brought them to school, and one even heard of their alleged plot, Covina High Principal Claudia Karnoski said.

Karnoski was "frustrated" students did not notify teachers or administrators about the guns.

The boys, whose identities were not released because they are juveniles, were arrested around 2 p.m. Thursday and have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and bringing a gun on campus. The 16-year-old has also been charged with grand theft, and the 15-year-old has been charged with possession of stolen property, West Covina Police Lt. Ron Mitchell said.

Both students will be tried as juveniles, said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. A court date has been set for Monday. Their names have not been released because they are under 18.

The 16-year-old suspect stole the handguns from his stepfather's locked gun cabinet more than a month ago, police said. The stepfather filed a report to police, which led to the arrest. Police later learned of the alleged plot during interviews, Mitchell said.

The guns, a .357-caliber revolver and a .40-caliber Glock semiautomatic handgun, were recovered from the 16-year-old boy's home, police said. Investigators also seized a drawing one of the boys allegedly made depicting a hooded figure shooting another character in the head. Underneath the drawing, the word "Exterminate" was written, Mitchell said.

The two students had talked about attacking their classmates during an assembly around Easter, but didn't follow through, according to Karnoski.

Police were unsure if the boys had discussed any attacks since then.

"We got the impression from interviews they planned to do it at some point, as to when they planned we don't know," Mitchell said.

Karnoski said she spoke with one of the boys Thursday.

One of the boys told her he didn't feel threatened by anyone at school, but he wouldn't say what he planned to do with the guns, she said. The boys admitted to police they planned to attack classmates.

Karnoski held separate assemblies Friday with parents and students concerning the incident.

Karnoski said the school is safe.

"I don't think they actually would have done it - but I am not God, judge or jury," Karnoski said.

The school does not have any immediate plans to increase security or change safety measures at this point, she said.

The school has armed officers on campus.

Some students wondered about the school's safety.

"I am a little scared," said 15-year-old Martin Bylsma. "School should have been canceled."

Staff writer Brian Day contributed to this report. This story was supplemented by an Associated Press report.

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(1 -- 2) Above, Covina High students mingle during lunch break on campus Friday. At left, guns taken from two students who admitted they were planning a shooting on campus.

West Covina Police