Northwest ISD middle schoolers' 'violent' attack plans found; Fort Worth PD investigating
FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth police are investigating a "troubling and violent document" targeting several Northwest ISD students and teachers with threats of violence.
Additional Northwest ISD safety and security personnel and Fort Worth police patrolled Wilson Middle School in Haslet Thursday after the district was made aware of an online list that appeared to target specific students and teachers at the school.
In a letter to parents, Northwest ISD told parents that two arrests had been made by Fort Worth police. But on Thursday, Fort Worth PD said that no arrests have been made.
The district says school leaders are alerting the families of the students on the list. It said the language is similar to other threats issued at schools across the country.
"All students involved in the creation and modification of this document will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," said the letter to parents.
One parent, who didn't want to show her face or give her name, has a son in seventh grade. She said she's having a hard time getting in contact with school administrators.
"I'm just not happy with how the school is handling this really. I don't think it's okay," she said. "They refuse to answer any questions that we have. It's just not okay."
In the letter sent to parents late Wednesday, the district said a parent made them aware of "a troubling and violent document maintained by several students."
The so-called "watch list" contains the names of 32 individuals at Wilson Middle School, "including 25 students and seven staff members."
It reportedly detailed a planned attack on students and staff at the campus and mirrored "similar terroristic threats issued at schools across the country."
Aziah Haswell's son is in the eighth grade. She said the school initially suspended her son for three days because forensic data showed he viewed the document.
"My children are kind of shielded from things that happen in this world, and this is new for him," she said. "And here we are dealing with a situation I never thought we'd deal with."
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Haswell said the school then revoked the suspension.
"It didn't look like he was editing anything into the group. It looked like he was just in it and viewed it like 47 times, but my son had no clue what it was about or anything like that," she said.
The district told parents, so far, two students involved in the creation and editing of the document have been identified.
Student Terrance Clark said the watch list had been circulating for months.
"It was scary for me yesterday. It's still a little scary for me today. It's going to take a little bit to get off my mind," he said. "The vibe everyone is going around asking, ‘Have you been on the list? Were you on the list?’ I hear a couple of teachers talking about the list. It's sad."
Because those involved are minors, any names of middle school students who could be arrested will not be released.
The district says any student allegations of engaging in serious misconduct, such as terroristic threats, typically result in a three-day out-of-school suspension.
Fort Worth PD said several suspects have been identified, and information is still being gathered.