TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Two 5th grade students at Roberts Elementary have been cited for a plot to "murder another student."
According to an incident report from the Tallahassee Police Department, after school dismissed for the day on Friday, December 14, the principal of the school was contacted by a teacher.
The teacher said that a child told her that two students were "going to beat up [another student] and that they had weapons."
The principal then contacted the School Resource Officer on Dec. 17 after conducting her own administrative investigation and told the officer that two students "planned and put into effect a plot to murder another student."
When investigators spoke to the 11-year-old victim, he said that a particular student had been bullying him over the last month or so and had gotten into an altercation prior to this incident. The victim also stated that student told him that he was going to kill him earlier that week.
The victim said that he was scared when the other student told him that, but he wasn't sure if he believed him. According to documents, the victim told an after school supervisor about the other student's threat that day, so the other student was put in timeout.
Three days later, the victim said a female student told him a secret that he didn't want to hear or be involved in. According to the victim, that student didn't like the way he reacted, so he believed she told the student that had been bullying him and another student.
Documents say those two students then approached the victim and told him they were going to "take care of him and kill him."
The day after on Dec. 14, the victim said he was walking to the cafeteria after the bell rung when he was approached by the student who had been bullying him.
According to the incident report, "[The victim] said [the other student] asked him 'Do you want to go to the secret hideout at the garden?'"
The victim told officers that he had heard of the other students' plans "to kill him" from various students throughout the day, so when he was approached after school, he had and idea of what was going to happen but didn't tell anyone because he wanted to see if it was true.
Once the two accused students asked him to go to the "secret spot," the victim ran to the cafeteria to tell the after school supervisor that they were planning to kill him.
The after school supervisor told investigators that before she spoke to the victim, students came into the cafeteria shouting that the two students were going to hurt the victim.
After speaking to the victim, the after school supervisor questioned the two students, who denied any wrong doing. While speaking with them, documents say another student came up to the supervisor and said one of the students had a knife in his backpack, leading school officials to search that student's backpack.
Inside, they found a smaller draw string backpack that contained wrenches, pliers, a baseball glove, and a multi-tool that had two knives.
At first the student in question told investigators that the tools were for his dad, but later claimed that the tools were to break a lock so he, and the other student who was in on the plan, could run away from the school after confronting the victim.
Documents say that once the principal was aware of what was happening, she pulled the other student to her office and asked him about wanting to harm the victim. The principal said the student denied wanting to harm the victim and said he only wanted to confront the victim about a "secret" that another student told the victim.
An incident report says an officer stood by while the principal interviewed multiple students in after school care about the incident.
"It was determined that several students were aware of the plan and none told the teachers until the end of the day on [Dec. 14]," investigators wrote.
Both accused students were immediately suspended and have been "recommended for expulsion," according to a Leon County Schools spokesperson.
After interviews with multiple students, investigators learned that the students planning the battery had drawn up a map to avoid surveillance cameras and pinpoint where they would lure the victim. Witnesses told investigators that the students planned to break the lock to the garden gate with the pliers and use the glove to prevent finger prints.
From there, the two students planned to take a golf cart and flee down Centerville Road.
Multiple witnesses said that the student with the bag of tools had shown other students and threatened everyone saying, "Snitches get stitches." According to the incident report, the plot stemmed from feud over the victim allegedly "being rude and spreading rumors."
Both students denied wanting to kill the victim, but admitted to wanting to beat him up.
Initially, document say the State Attorney's Office chose not to prosecute, but later approved charges against two students, an 11-year-old and a 10-year-old, for conspiracy to commit battery (2nd degree misdemeanor).
They were issued a juvenile civil citation from TPD for the incident.
In a statement to WTXL on Wednesday, Leon County Spokesperson Chris Petley said:
"The safety of our students, staff and campuses will always be our top priority. Leon Schools has zero tolerance for acts or threats of violence. We take the incident in the Roberts Elementary Afterschool Program very serious and the students involved were immediately suspended and recommended for expulsion. We have made updates to our safety plan at Roberts and will continue to look for ways to implement best practices."
Tuesday night, Kim McFarland, the principal at Roberts Elementary, sent the following email to parents:
We expect another article to be published in the Tallahassee Democrat tomorrow giving more information concerning the incident occurring on December 14.
The article consists of specific details, some of which are not completely accurate. Had we been aware this situation was brewing, we would have been able to intervene and stop it before it got to this point.
Please know that the situation was handled quickly by the Extended Day director and myself. In addition, the students did not return to school after they were identified.
Since this incident occurred, we have readdressed procedures and solidified some safety precautions, such as an additional camera, our police officer on duty being more visible throughout the campus during the school day, and our security officer spending additional time moving about the campus establishing relationships with the students.
Our Extended Day director has also added specific guidelines to ensure our students are safe during our extended day program.
Safety is our top priority, and we take it very seriously. We also know that we have a great responsibility to keep your children safe, and we do our very best each and every day to help you feel secure knowing they are under our watchful eye.
Please remind your children of our expectation to “See something, say something”!
Kim McFarland
Principal
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The principal at Robert Elementary is reassuring parents that their children are safe following an incident "with alleged intent to harm a fellow student."
The incident apparently happened on Dec. 14 in the after school program at Roberts Elementary.
The email that was sent out to parents on Dec. 21 is below:
Dear Parents,
Last Friday there was an incident, with alleged intent to harm a fellow student, that occurred in the after school program with a group of 5th grade students who had been developing a plan over a series of days. Some of you have reached out with concerns and questions. At this time, I cannot share details but I can assure that your children are safe and the situation is being handled. I met with the 5th grade students Monday morning to discuss the importance of “I see something, I say something”. Many 5th grade students knew of the potential incident but did not tell teachers or their parents. We discussed the importance of alerting adults when there is any concern for safety for themselves or their fellow students. Please discuss this with your children. It is imperative they learn this valuable skill now.
Safety is our number one priority and we continue to work diligently to maintain proper safety measures that are in place for our entire campus. When incidents like this occur it makes us reevaluate our procedures and make needed changes.
Please let me know if you have any questions and I will answer as best I can.
Have a good evening and enjoy this holiday break.
Kim McFarland
Principal
We've reached out to Leon County Schools for comment and are waiting to hear back.
