Iowa police arrested a 19-year-old who identifies as transgender on Monday, charging her with making a “threat of terrorism” after revealing in therapy her intention to target an elementary school.
According to The Daily Wire, the Norwalk Police Department confirmed the arrest of Margaret Anderson, following reports of a threat directed at Oviatt Elementary School in Norwalk, Iowa.
Anderson now faces charges under Iowa Code 708A.5 for making a terroristic threat and has been processed into the Warren County Jail.
Warren County Attorney Doug Eichholz confirmed to The Daily Wire that Anderson, who identifies as a transgender man, made statements during a therapy session that led to the arrest.
Anderson, who also goes by the name Maxwell, reportedly told her therapist about her desire to carry out a school shooting.
The therapist then informed the Des Moines Police Department, which passed the information to the Norwalk Police Department, leading to a swift investigation.
The police complaint against Anderson alleges that she expressed a specific plan, stating her intention to “take a gun to Oviatt Elementary School at 11 a.m., enter through the cafeteria, and shoot children.” However, the complaint did not provide any context or explanation for her motives.
After disclosing these thoughts in therapy, Anderson was immediately admitted to Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, which has a mental health unit.
On Monday, she was taken into custody, and by Tuesday morning, she was released to house arrest with restrictions, including a GPS monitoring bracelet, as part of her pretrial release.
Norwalk Community School District Superintendent Shawn Holloway did not respond to requests for comment on the incident.
This case comes just over a year after the tragic school shooting at Covenant Christian School in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 2023, where a transgender-identifying shooter killed three children and three adults.
The shooter’s transgender identity sparked debates in the media, with some suggesting it was irrelevant to the crime, while others expressed concern over possible reprisals against the LGBTQ community.
LGBTQ groups warned Newsweek of the “serious consequences” that could arise from the publication of the shooter’s manifesto.
NBC News ran a piece highlighting the fear within Tennessee’s transgender community, with one activist expressing heightened concerns about safety.
The FBI initially withheld the Nashville shooter’s 100-page journal, citing public safety concerns and fears of fueling conspiracy theories. However, in early September, The Tennessee Star published the full manifesto.
The writings revealed the shooter’s preoccupation with transgender issues, white privilege, autism, and depression.
As Anderson’s case unfolds, it adds to the ongoing national conversation about the intersection of mental health, violence, and identity, drawing further attention to sensitive issues related to school safety and the complexities of these cases.
