Birmingham – A Shelby County woman, Katherine Joiner of Wilsonville, is one of two people facing charges after federal law enforcement say she admitted to exchanging online messages involving plans to commit a violent attack at a school.
Joiner and Ethan Bassett from Glen, Mississippi face charges of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce with an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Mississippi. The FBI reportedly became aware of concerning Instagram messages between two users on May 18, 2026. Agents sent an emergency disclosure request to Meta, Inc., the parent company of Instagram.
Messages between the two allegedly discuss their intent to hurt themselves, and others, including a possible school shooting. The affidavit included conversations of targetting a small school somewhere small with low to no security or other public venue with minimal police presence or security.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that they assisted with the investigation.
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