Two teenagers were arrested over allegations they plotted to stage a deadly attack at a school in the Riverland area of South Australia, police said in a press conference on Wednesday, November 29.

Police alleged that the youths were planning to carry out an attack that would have resulted, if successful, in significant loss of life and causalities, Detective Superintendent Inspector Des Bray said. “We will allege that that attack would have involved the use of firearms, homemade explosives, and incendiary devices.”

According to the Young Offenders Act, juvenile offenders cannot be identified by police. The name of the school in question was also kept confidential.

“There is no doubt in my mind that we prevented a catastrophe,” Detective Superintendent Bray said. “We believe most likely the attack would have occurred, if not stopped, before the end of the current school term.”

South Australia Police said the charge of solicit to murder was brought against one teenager while the other was charged with four counts of aggravated threats. Credit: South Australia Police via Storyful