A 19-year-old substitute teacher in Virginia has been arrested [1] after authorities say he made online statements describing plans for a potential attack at a local high school.
According to law enforcement officials, Hadyn Dollery was taken into custody Thursday after investigators received information about posts he allegedly made on Discord referencing a “kill list” and a plan described as a “murder spree.”
Authorities said the reported target was John Champe High School in Aldie, Virginia, located near the Washington, D.C., area.
Police said they became aware of the situation through a tip submitted via the department’s Safe2Talk reporting app, which allows individuals to share concerns about potential threats.
After reviewing the information, investigators moved to locate and arrest Dollery.
Dollery had been working as a substitute teacher in the area. School officials said he was classified as a “nonlicensed substitute” for the 2025 to 2026 school year.
Following his arrest, his information was removed from the school district’s database.
Authorities have charged Dollery with threatening bodily harm.
He is currently being held without bond, according to police.
Investigators have not released additional details about the content of the messages beyond references to the alleged “kill list” and the stated plan.
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Officials have also not said whether any weapons were recovered as part of the investigation.
Law enforcement agencies said there is no ongoing threat to the school and that the situation was addressed before any incident occurred.
School officials have not announced any closures related to the case.
The arrest comes amid continued use of tip-reporting tools such as Safe2Talk, which authorities say can provide early warnings in cases involving potential threats.
Police credited the tip for allowing them to respond before any violence took place.
John Champe High School is part of Loudoun County Public Schools and serves students in the Aldie area.
District officials have not issued a detailed public statement beyond confirming that Dollery is no longer listed in their system.
Authorities said the investigation remains active as they continue to review digital communications and other evidence related to the case.
Additional charges have not been announced.