Two sixth-grade students charged for planning a shooting at Tennessee school
Two sixth-grade students are facing charges after it was discovered that they were plotting to bring weapons to school with the intention of shooting students and faculty at South Cumberland Elementary School in Crossville, Tennessee.
As soon as authorities got to know about the plot, they took immediate steps. The Crossville/Cumberland County District Threat Assessment Task Force, the Crossville Police Department and the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office were contacted and an official investigation began.
The investigation turned up a hand-drawn map of the school and a plan between the two students to bring weapons, hide them in the locker room and on the last day of school enter through the back door, shoot faculty, and students then commit suicide before law enforcement intervention, according to a release from Cumberland County Schools, Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, and the Crossville Police Department.
There were reportedly multiple conversations between the students in the past couple of weeks.
“We take any threat to students and school faculty very seriously and we will respond, investigate and take swift appropriate action to manage each threat," said Cumberland County Sheriff Casey Cox.
"The School Resource Officer for South Cumberland Elementary uncovered a rumor of the possible existence of a "hit list" containing students to be shot in a future school shooting. Immediate steps were taken to ensure the safety of all students and the newly formed Crossville/Cumberland County District Threat Assessment Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional team, was contacted and began to assist in the investigation, working closely with the school administration and School Resource Officer. Director Janet Graham said, “Our first and most important responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students and staff. It was determined that at no time during the investigation students or staff were believed to be in any immediate danger," the release said.
When investigators searched the homes of both the students, they found no weapons in either home. Following this, both students were arrested and trasported to the Cumberland County Juvenile Detention Facility where they were charged with the conspiracy to commit murder.
The students are to remain in custody awaiting a hearing in juvenile court.