OXFORD, MS (abc24.com) - A Virginia man playing an online video game uncovered a plan to blow up Oxford High School, and now a former student is in jail.
Joshua Pillault, 19, was arrested Monday and charged with threatening to attack the high school on the anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado.
"It is crazy, I mean, you never think something like that around here, but surprise, surprise," said Rex Cook, who lives across the street from Pillault.
"All parties involved believed that the threat was credible and warranted immediate action," said Oxford Schools Superintendent Brian Harvey. "The safety of our students, faculty, and staff are of the utmost importance."
Harvey said the man in Virginia contacted the school. Oxford Police and the FBI were alerted. The threat was then traced back to Pillault's home computer.
"I am kind of surprised that he would say something like that, but I don't think he would be any sort of immediate threat to anyone. Because I mean, he doesn't really take his anger out on people, he takes it out on objects," said Adam Cook, who knows Pillault from school.
The school says Pillault dropped out of school last year.
"He ain't ever talk about blowing nothing up around me," said Austin Harmon, who regularly skated with Pillault at the Oxford Skate Park. "He probably didn't mean nothing by it, but, it is hard to tell."
Pillault is due in federal court in Greenville Thursday afternoon for a preliminary hearing and detention hearing.
