3rd student charged in connection to ‘violent’ attack plan at North Texas middle school
A third student at a far north Fort Worth middle school has been charged in connection with creating and editing an online document that detailed a planned attack against students and staff, Northwest Independent School District officials said.
Other students from Wilson Middle School were investigated, but found not to have engaged in a terroristic threat, district officials said Monday in a letter to families.
A tip from a parent during school on May 1 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 informed Wilson Middle School families and employees about the document in a letter last week and said two students had been arrested with pending felony charges.
An investigation found a third student was also responsible for the threatening document, according to Monday’s letter. All three students have been charged with a felony terroristic threat, the school district said.
The Northwest ISD Discipline Management Plan says that a student “charged with a felony terroristic threat after an investigation and due process” could be placed in the District Alternative Education Program for 45 to 60 days for a first offense, according to the letter. If the school year ends before that time is up, the student would begin the next school year in DAEP.
Going forward, Northwest ISD schools will complete a threat assessment review before a student found to have engaged in terroristic threats could return to campus.
An armed security guard will actively monitor the halls and exterior of Wilson for the remainder of the school year, according to the letter. A Fort Worth Police Department school resource officer will also be on campus.
“We hope the presence of the additional armed security guard will increase the visibility of security for students, staff and parents and reinforce that students are safe to learn at Wilson Middle School,” officials said in the letter.
Counselors will also be available at Wilson. Students who stayed home Thursday, Friday and Monday due to safety concerns will have those absences excused, according to officials.
Any suspicious activity should be immediately reported to campus administrators and school staff, officials said. Concerns can also be reported anonymously online at the district’s tip line.
Northwest ISD serves students in far north Fort Worth and 13 other surrounding communities.
