Lindsay Souvannarath, a former Geneva student, was arrested on February 13 by Canadian police for a plot to commit mass murder in the Halifax Shopping Centre of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Just a day before the shooting was to take place, the police received a Crime Stoppers tip from a Canadian resident that gave up Lindsay and her accomplices. One of the plotters, James Gamble, committed suicide upon the police surrounding his house. Another, Randall Shepard, was apprehended along with her. There was also a 17 year old who has been released who is under investigation for his role in the plan. Lindsay is being charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit arson, possession of weapons for a purpose dangerous to the public peace or for committing a criminal offense, and unlawfully conveying through social media a threat to cause bodily harm or death to members of the public. Her most upcoming court date is set for March 6.

Lindsay is remembered by many former teachers as well as fellow Geneva High School students. She is depicted as being quiet, reserved and an active participant in the Role Playing Games Club. She dressed in a unique way; a former Geneva student recalls she commonly wore red lipstick and a pair of bright yellow high heels. At GHS, she proved to be a talented art student and an even more talented writer, going on to major in Creative Writing at Coe College.

Up until this point, people who met her never expected her to commit this act. Upon looking at her social media sites, though, such as Tumblr and Facebook, any views of her being normal would be dispelled immediately. When opening her Tumblr page, with the username C**kSwastika, the viewers are greeted by a large swastika above the words “school shooter chic” and “violence is the aesthetic”. The rest of her account does not differ much, showing praise for killers, especially the two behind the Columbine massacre. Despite her Laotian heritage, Lindsay expresses her admiration for white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Many other disturbing death themed posts are contained in her account. Her page also links to her accomplices’ equally morbid and perverse accounts. The depth of Lindsay’s subversive interests and mindset are a shock to the Geneva Community.

It raises questions as to why Lindsay, after being raised in a safe and quiet town like Geneva and leading an average life, could develop such an unhealthy obsession with death and killing. This global event has roots from our very own town, and community members are curious as to what it is that leads seemingly harmless individuals towards a lifestyle of hate.