School shooting thwarted: exchange student to be deported

A foreign exchange student who pleaded guilty to firearm possession and making terroristic threats will be deported and permanently barred from re-entering the United States of America.

Taiwanese student An-Tso Sun, 18, was arrested in March after he threatened to attack Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School, near Philadelphia. He was sentenced by a federal judge on Monday to be deported and ruled his potentially lengthy prison sentence as time served.

Sun claimed his words were meant as a joke, but his host family's home was locked and loaded with weapons and ammo. Law enforcement also discovered his school iPad had been used to search for ways to purchase an AR-15 or AK-47.

He also had body armor at the home.

In March, the Upper Darby Police tweeted:

An Tso Sun, 18, arrested for threatening to shoot up local high school Sun was found to have a military vest and ammunition at his residence. Kudos to the person who stepped forward and helped to avert a tragedy. --@UDPolice March 28, 2018

Sun's lawyer, Robert Keller, said the family felt "they were dealt with very fairly by the U.S. They're relieved and very emotional still."

"I think the judge was right on when she indicated that she was dealing with a young man who didn't appreciate that words matter," Keller said. "He is paying a dear and appropriate price and it was a lesson learned."

Hopefully, it isn't a lesson to keep your mouth shut before shooting.

The student faced up to ten years and a six-figure fine, but he was dealt with fairly by an understanding judge. His lawyer said that after several weeks processing, Sun will be heading back to Taiwan.


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