One Oceanside-area middle school student has been removed from the campus because the child developed a so-called “hit list,” district officials informed parents this week.
The seventh grade student threatened to "shoot up" Lincoln Middle School, officials with the Oceanside Union School District said Monday.
The child also created a list which named individuals and identified a group of people who the student wanted to harm.
District officials told parents at a meeting Monday night that they learned of the threat on September 20.
“School leadership, in partnership with law enforcement, quickly investigated and dealt with the potential situation,” the district said in a written statement obtained by NBC 7.
“Parents of the students on the list, the named students and the students in the group were informed of threat,” the district’s statement reads. “Staff members that were on the list were also informed. “
The student won’t be returning to the campus.
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Parents received automated phone messages Friday, Sept. 26, informing them of a “safety and security risk.” The message said the risk had been resolved and there would be a meeting Monday night to discuss details.
Late Monday, parents and families from Lincoln Middle School, Palmquist Elementary and South Oceanside Elementary gathered to hear from OUSD officials. The elementary schools were included because of their proximity to the middle school.
Families were given details about the incident and told there would be an increase of security on the campus of the middle school.
Amanda Merz, whose child attends school within the district, questioned what faculty and staff members were doing before the child felt the need to develop a “hit list.”
“The child here that wrote the hit list is the victim,” Merz said. “We failed that kid.”
“If we’re doing our jobs as a parent and teachers, we know what’s going on with the kids. We’re paying attention,” she said.
She said her daughter was fearful of being struck by classmates when she attended Kindergarten at a school with the district.
Lincoln Middle School is located on 2000 California Street.
