Preacherman
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From the Billings Gazette, Montana (http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde...news/2004/03/18/build/state/10-schoolplot.inc):
March 18, 2004
3 Forsyth children held in plot to shoot, stab third-grade classmate
Associated Press
FORSYTH - Two 8-year-old boys and an 11-year-old schoolmate were arrested after they buried a loaded handgun in a playground sandbox and plotted to shoot and stab a third-grade girl during recess, authorities said Thursday.
Sheriff Tim Fulton said the boys told investigators they intended to harm the young girl because she had teased two of them.
The plot was uncovered Wednesday morning when another student alerted school officials, said Michael Hayworth, the Rosebud County attorney.
The gun, a .22-caliber revolver, had two bullets in it, Hayworth said. School Superintendent Dave Shreeve said a box of bullets also was found nearby.
"The three boys have been taken into custody and are now subject to a youth detention order on suspicion of conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon," Hayworth said.
Formal charges are pending.
"From the interviews (with investigators) I don't believe that they fully comprehended the full significance of their actions," Hayworth said. "But they understood that this was going to bring harm to her … and they intended that."
The boys, whose names were not immediately released, apparently brought the weapons to school Wednesday morning, then hid them on the playground. Hayworth said the intent was to assault the girl over the recess hour later that day. The sheriff said one of the 8-year-olds apparently brought the gun from home.
Forsyth is about 100 miles east of Billings. The school has about 200 students in kindergarten through the sixth grade.
The school sent letters to parents Thursday, and planned to have a counselor available to students. The letter urged parents in this rural area to lock their firearms and store the bullets separately.
"Needless to say, it is a frightening experience for a community and our schools," Shreeve said. "We believe it's an isolated incident but it does bring into reality that this can happen in any place at any time."
Fulton said an 8-year-old classmate of the two younger boys was the one who alerted the school of the plot.
"I need to commend that young man for such a brave act," the sheriff said. "He saved the lives of who knows how many people."
March 18, 2004
3 Forsyth children held in plot to shoot, stab third-grade classmate
Associated Press
FORSYTH - Two 8-year-old boys and an 11-year-old schoolmate were arrested after they buried a loaded handgun in a playground sandbox and plotted to shoot and stab a third-grade girl during recess, authorities said Thursday.
Sheriff Tim Fulton said the boys told investigators they intended to harm the young girl because she had teased two of them.
The plot was uncovered Wednesday morning when another student alerted school officials, said Michael Hayworth, the Rosebud County attorney.
The gun, a .22-caliber revolver, had two bullets in it, Hayworth said. School Superintendent Dave Shreeve said a box of bullets also was found nearby.
"The three boys have been taken into custody and are now subject to a youth detention order on suspicion of conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon," Hayworth said.
Formal charges are pending.
"From the interviews (with investigators) I don't believe that they fully comprehended the full significance of their actions," Hayworth said. "But they understood that this was going to bring harm to her … and they intended that."
The boys, whose names were not immediately released, apparently brought the weapons to school Wednesday morning, then hid them on the playground. Hayworth said the intent was to assault the girl over the recess hour later that day. The sheriff said one of the 8-year-olds apparently brought the gun from home.
Forsyth is about 100 miles east of Billings. The school has about 200 students in kindergarten through the sixth grade.
The school sent letters to parents Thursday, and planned to have a counselor available to students. The letter urged parents in this rural area to lock their firearms and store the bullets separately.
"Needless to say, it is a frightening experience for a community and our schools," Shreeve said. "We believe it's an isolated incident but it does bring into reality that this can happen in any place at any time."
Fulton said an 8-year-old classmate of the two younger boys was the one who alerted the school of the plot.
"I need to commend that young man for such a brave act," the sheriff said. "He saved the lives of who knows how many people."
