A 19-year-old man named Henry Horton IV was recently arrested by the police in the United States. The arrest took place during a routine traffic stop, where officers discovered written threats for a “shooting spree” and other attacks planned by Horton. The targets included his former school, Okeechobee High School, as well as other locations.
According to a report from CNN, Horton had outlined his intentions to “kill everyone” at Okeechobee High School with his guns on January 2, 2026, which happens to be his 22nd birthday. The arrest occurred on September 18 when Horton was pulled over for a broken headlight on the white pickup truck he was driving.
During a search of Horton’s car, the police officer found several handwritten notes detailing his plot to buy handguns and carry out the attack at Okeechobee High School. It’s important to note that Horton had graduated from the school in May 2022. His plan involved targeting 15 individuals, including an administrator at the school.
Further investigation revealed disturbing information on Horton’s phone. The contents included details about various mass murder plots in different states, plans to create a bomb, and intentions to murder his stepmother. When questioned, Horton admitted to having mental health issues in the past and confessed that he had been contemplating acts of mass violence, planning to execute them once he turned 22 years old.
Prior to his arrest, Horton was asked about his destination, to which he claimed he was going to Miami to visit a church. However, according to the affidavit, he expressed his intention to murder approximately ten people at the church after carrying out his planned assault in 2026 at his former high school.
Following his arrest, Horton was taken to a hospital to undergo a mental health evaluation under the Florida Mental Health Act. On September 29, he confessed to investigators about composing a manifesto and making threats to kill his stepmother. As a result, he was charged with intimidation with written threats to murder or harm another person.
In response to her son’s arrest, Horton’s mother, Marcie Horton, described him as a “good kid” who would never actually carry out such a plan. She pleaded with officials to provide him with the necessary mental health treatment. Likewise, stepmother Alisha Horton expressed her belief that Henry would never harm her and emphasized the importance of treating his mental disability instead of treating him as a criminal.
