‘Violent’ attack plan at North Texas middle school listed 32 students, teachers as targets

Courtesy: Fort Worth police

Two students at a far north Fort Worth middle school were arrested Wednesday for their involvement in creating and editing an online document that detailed a planned attack against students and staff, Northwest Independent School District officials said.

A tip from a parent during school Wednesday led officials to the “troubling and violent document,” which contained plans to attack Wilson Middle School and listed 25 students and seven staff members as targets, district officials said in a letter to families and employees.

Several students from Wilson collaborated on the document, according to the letter.

“All students involved in the creation and modification of this document will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” officials said in the letter.

School leaders are notifying the family of each student who was listed as a target, and the district is partnering with the Fort Worth Police Department in the ongoing investigation.

A Fort Worth police spokesperson said Thursday that the department did not have a record of any arrests in the case. Several suspects have been identified and the investigation is continuing, the department said.

But according to a school district spokesperson, the school’s resource officer and the district’s safety and security office verified the arrests.


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What charges can students face for threats?

According to the district’s letter, the document’s language is similar to “terroristic threats” used against other schools across the United States.

A Northwest ISD spokesperson said that felony charges are pending against the two students who were arrested Wednesday. The district is investigating whether any other students from Northwest ISD had access to the online document, the letter said.

All students who were involved with the document but not arrested will face disciplinary action in accordance with the Northwest ISD Student Handbook and Code of Conduct, officials said.

Information about specific disciplinary action against any student is protected by the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, but “it is our practice to assign three days of out-of-school suspension, pending investigation, for allegations of engaging in serious misconduct, such as terroristic threats,” officials said in the letter.

District officials said they will keep families informed about the investigation. Counselors and additional security personnel will be available at Wilson Middle School for the rest of the week.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Fort Worth Police Department at 817-392-4222.

Northwest ISD serves students in far north Fort Worth and 13 other surrounding communities.

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