Scots teen unmasked after being jailed for 'Columbine-style' school massacre plot
A Scots teen who has been locked up for six years for plotting a mass shooting at his own school has been unmasked for the first time.
Felix Winter wanted to recreate the horrors of the notorious Columbine massacre in Colorado in the United States in 1999 at his Edinburgh secondary school.
He "idolised" the killers who gunned down 12 students and a teacher during a murderous rampage.
He was today sentenced to six years in jail for Terrorism offences at the High Court in Glasgow after police unravelled his plans.
Reporting restrictions meant he could not be identified or pictured before now, due to his age.
Felix, now 18, , from Edinburgh, repeatedly spoke about launching a deadly attack at his secondary school, referring to the planned massacre as "Doomsday" and describing how he would one day "clear it out".
The court previously heard that Winter "idolised" the two gunmen responsible for the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado, which left 12 students and a teacher dead.
A police investigation was launched in summer 2023 after a photograph circulated on social media showing Winter in full combat gear, holding an imitation firearm on school grounds. The image caused widespread panic among pupils and parents.
At the time, Winter had already been referred to the UK's anti-terrorism Prevent programme, designed to stop individuals from becoming radicalised. He was also found to hold racist and pro-Nazi views.
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Winter pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace and an offence under the Terrorism Act, with his crimes taking place between June 2022 and July 2023.
Police have today released a photo of Winter as they praised officers who worked tirelessly during an "extremely complex" investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said:'This was an extremely complex and fast-moving investigation, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the diligence and hard work of the officers who worked tirelessly to gather the evidence and bring the perpetrator to justice. 'The inquiry also underlines the advantages of working closely in partnership as part of the Prevent programme which promotes early intervention through tailored, diversionary support to individuals who may be susceptible to supporting or committing terrorism to help keep our communities safe.'
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