A teenager from Miskolc, Hungary, has been sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in a juvenile correctional facility for the attempted preparation of a school shooting, according to an announcement by the Miskolci Törvényszék (Miskolc Court of Justice) on Monday.

The ruling is not final.

In the fall of 2022, the accused disclosed to classmates his habit of watching videos related to school attacks on the internet.

His interest escalated after becoming a private student, at which point he began discussing plans for a shooting at his schools, an elementary and a secondary school he attended.

Further investigation revealed that the teenager had taken videos on school premises and sought information online about acquiring firearms legally or illegally.

He also explored methods for creating guns or bombs, and was discussing with acquaintances the attire he would wear during the attack and his strategy for entering classrooms intending to fatally harm students.

By March 2023, the teenager frequented online platforms with content on school shootings, and reportedly considered suicide or a fatal confrontation with police after the planned attack.

The court took into account the defendant’s confession, genuine remorse, and positive behavioral changes observed during his time spent in the correctional facility as mitigating factors during sentencing.

Aggravating factors included his persistent intent to carry out the offense, potential to seriously disturb public peace, national outrage caused by the case, and the morally reprehensible motive of targeting children under the age of 14.

The court decided to keep the accused in custody, with the sentence yet to become legally binding.

The prosecution, the defendant, and his defense have three business days to file an appeal.