Four Arizona fifth graders allegedly plotted to kill a classmate and make it look like a suicide.
The details of the October 2024 plot were revealed in a recently released police report, KKTV 11 reported. "Just end him" was the goal of the alleged plot, which grew from a dating and cheating situation.
The group of four fifth graders, ages 10 and 11, had divided the murder plan into tasks, with one assigned to bring a knife to school, one writing a suicide note, one acting as a lookout while the fourth would stab the boy, the station reported.
The children were students at Legacy Traditional School West Surprise, a public charter for kindergarten through eighth grade. The plan involved luring the boy to an outside bathroom. They also planned to wear gloves to avoid fingerprints, KKTV reported.
The plot came to the attention of school officials after other students overheard discussions of the plot and reported it, the Arizona Republic reported.
After learning of the plot, the school's assistant principal Jerod Burleson had the students who were involved sent home. The next day they were questioned.
Upon questioning, the students confirmed that there had been discussions about killing the student for some time, but one student insisted it was all a joke, including the part where she said she'd bring her pocketknife to school, the Arizona Republic reported.
According to the newspaper, each student was initially detained on one count of threatening and one count of disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. Also, the students were suspended pending expulsion, although the school would not discuss student discipline because of privacy restrictions.
