A Centre County judge on Friday turned down Braeden A. Phillips’ bid to relax a parole condition so he could attend Penn State football games and wrestling matches.
Judge Brian Marshall’s ruling keeps Phillips, 22, of Mifflin County, at least 100 feet away from Penn State and any other school. It also leaves in place one of the conditions Phillips must follow during his five-year parole term. Marshall denied the request without prejudice, which means it can be raised again later.
Phillips’ attorney, Matt McClenahen, told the court that his client wanted to go to the events with his brother and grandfather, whom he described as a father figure. McClenahen said Phillips had already been given permission to attend a Pittsburgh Pirates game and at least two auto races, noting those events were not held on school property.
Centre County First Assistant District Attorney Joshua Andrews said prosecutors deferred to the county’s Probation and Parole Department, which he said was “uncomfortable” with the request. Phillips has completed about one-fifth of his parole term.
The parole fight stems from Phillips’ guilty plea in August 2025 to a felony count of terroristic threats. He was accused of conspiring with a juvenile in a plan to carry out a shooting and bombing on April 21, 2025, a day after the 26th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre.
According to testimony and prior reporting in the case, a concerned person first alerted authorities, and borough police along with the school district later praised that tip. Investigators then spoke with at least four State High students, who said Phillips had talked with them about an attack.
State College police Detective Craig Ripka testified that a search of Phillips’ Milroy home turned up several shotguns and a box of ammunition commonly used with assault rifles. Even so, investigators said the evidence fell short of showing he was ready to carry out the attack.
Police never recovered an assault rifle. They also found only what Ripka called a replica handgun. No bombs, bomb components, instructions for making them, a manifesto or a suicide note were recovered.
Last year, McClenahen argued, “There was never a plot to attack State High. No students were ever in danger,” He said, “This all started when some mean, bully-type kids at State High started to say that one of Braeden’s friends is a ‘school shooter’ because he’s weird and he’s awkward.”
McClenahen also described Phillips then as an “immature kid who doesn’t necessarily have the sophistication to think about consequences of his actions.”
When police asked whether Phillips had any problems or previous grievances with State High, a longtime friend said Phillips told him the school did not “serve his educational needs and failed him.” Phillips later declined to speak before sentencing.
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