Aunt of Marysville shooter reaches out to troubled teen threatening violence at Spanaway school



SPANAWAY, Wash. -- Parents and teens in Spanaway were rattled after a high school student posted on Facebook that he planned to kill himself and another student with him during school Monday.

Joni Smith, the aunt of Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooter Jaylen Fryberg, and her family have seen firsthand what school threats and violence can do to a community . So she's speaking out, hoping to prevent it from happening again.

The boy's Facebook post said, "Hey, everyone, just letting you know that on Monday i'm going to kill myself at school and i'm taking someone with me."

When Joni Smith saw that, "I felt like, what could I do? How could I help?"

Joni sent the troubled teen a Facebook message and shared her truth.

"I told him who I was and what we've been through," she said.

She told the teen, "People aren't going to know that you were hurt. All they are gonna see you is as a murderer. All they see Jaylen as is a murderer because thats what he is. you know he murdered those kids."

Joni pleaded with the teen to stop and think about his actions could affect his life and countless others.

She got the reply she was hoping for.

"He said, 'Thank you for stopping me from doing this'".

Early Monday, Pierce County sheriff's deputies arrested the student. He has been charged with felony harassment and was released home to his parents.