A massacre planned by two "murderous misfits" for Valentine's Day was thwarted and the suspects involved were apprehended, police in Canada announced Saturday.
The suspects, an American woman named Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath and a Canadian man, planned to commit mass murder somewhere in the Nova Scotia capital Halifax before turning the gun on themselves, police told ABC News.
But investigators received a tip about the plot and arrested the 23-year-old woman, from Illinois, at Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Friday morning, Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.
The 19-year-old male killed himself when police surrounded his home in Timberlea, according to NBC News.
"I am extremely pleased to report that this threat was averted," Assistant Commissioner Brian Brennan said, according to the station.
Investigators said Souvannarath confessed to the plan. Police would not disclose where the targeted location was but said extra security was put in place.
Souvannarath and the man "had access to firearms and it was their intention to go to a public venue in the Halifax region on February 14 with the goal of opening fire to kill citizens and then themselves," police said, according to ABC News.
Police announced later Saturday another 20-year-old male suspect, Randall Steven Shepherd, was arrested in connection to the plot but did not say how. An unnamed 17-year-old was also arrested but was later released.
Justice Minister Peter Mackay told Reuters "the attack does not appear to have been culturally motivated- therefore not linked to terrorism."
The suspects were a "group of murderous misfits that were coming here, or living here, and were planning to wreak havoc and mayhem on our community."
