Charges dropped against Cape Cod teen accused of allegedly threatening to carry out school shooting

Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois announced today an update regarding the investigation into alleged threats against a school in Falmouth, MA. 

This matter originated out of the Barnstable District Court considering the initial reporting of alleged threats made by 18-year-old Ian Fotheringham in August of 2025. Barnstable District Court has jurisdiction over adult matters for those 18 years old and older. 

As the investigation unfolded, the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office and the Falmouth Police Department learned of a discrepancy which made further prosecution in the District Court no longer available, and the Commonwealth entered a nolle prosequi in the case supported by an affidavit by the prosecutor assigned to the case. The discrepancy was not released by the DA.

 The initial information released by authorities suggested that Fotheringham had expressed intentions to carry out a school shooting, though no particular school was mentioned. He also reportedly mentioned restoring guns in his bedroom. Police conducted a consensual search of his home but discovered no unlawful weapons.

In early September, Falmouth School District safety personnel alerted police to a suspicious person near one of the district’s schools. The monitors observed a male wandering through the wooded area behind the building and grew worried that he might be scouting the location. Officers later confirmed the man’s identity as Ian Fotheringham.

Subsequent inquiries allegedly revealed images of the Columbine High School shooting on Fotheringham’s phone. A court-authorized search of his residence uncovered a sizable 3D printer designed for fabricating firearms.

This matter remains an ongoing investigation and future developments will be released when publicly available.