Prosecutor: Colville 5th graders plotted to murder classmates
COLVILLE, Wash. (AP) - Two northeast Washington fifth-grade boys accused of bringing a knife and a stolen gun to school in a conspiracy to harm classmates were brought to court in shackles Friday and ordered held on $100,000 bonds.
No one was hurt, thanks in part to a fourth-grader who saw one of the boys playing with a knife on a school bus Thursday morning and told a school worker, Stevens County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen said.
"These young men conspired to kill," Rasmussen told The Spokesman-Review (http://is.gd/eZ1rEW). "It was interrupted by the bravery of a fourth-grader who saw something and said something - and interrupted a murder."
The Fort Colville Elementary School students, aged 10 and 11, were taken into custody Thursday morning after a search showed a knife and handgun in one boy's backpack.
They're expected to be formally charged in juvenile court with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, possession of a firearm and witness tampering, the newspaper reported.
Police interviews showed the boys intended to use the weapons Thursday, Rasmussen said.
Colville School District Superintendent Michael Cashion said he was told the boys "had a plan to kill an ex-girlfriend - I don't know what a girlfriend means in fifth grade - and harm other students.
"There was no list, but names were given to the police," he said. "I can't get my mind around it."
A deputy prosecutor asked Superior Court Judge Al Nielson to order that the boys have no contact with eight children identified only by their initials.
All the alleged targets were fifth-grade classmates, school Principal Clayton Allen said.
The two boys were expelled, as was a third boy who reportedly knew about the plan but agreed to stay silent in return for the promise of $80.
The newspaper said much of the probable cause evidence has not been made public yet.
The judge scheduled a Feb. 20 hearing to determine whether the boys had the capacity to form the intent to commit a crime. Children ages 8 to 12 are presumed not to have that capacity unless prosecutors can show evidence that the children tried to keep the crime secret, displayed similar conduct in the past, and knew what they were doing was wrong, Deputy Prosecutor Lech Radzimski said.
The alleged plot evolved over two weeks, Radzimski said.
Allen has been meeting with concerned parents.
"I don't know how I would have dealt with it if a kid had been killed," he said. "It's tough."
No one was hurt, thanks in part to a fourth-grader who saw one of the boys playing with a knife on a school bus Thursday morning and told a school worker, Stevens County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen said.
"These young men conspired to kill," Rasmussen told The Spokesman-Review (http://is.gd/eZ1rEW). "It was interrupted by the bravery of a fourth-grader who saw something and said something - and interrupted a murder."
The Fort Colville Elementary School students, aged 10 and 11, were taken into custody Thursday morning after a search showed a knife and handgun in one boy's backpack.
They're expected to be formally charged in juvenile court with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, possession of a firearm and witness tampering, the newspaper reported.
Police interviews showed the boys intended to use the weapons Thursday, Rasmussen said.
Colville School District Superintendent Michael Cashion said he was told the boys "had a plan to kill an ex-girlfriend - I don't know what a girlfriend means in fifth grade - and harm other students.
"There was no list, but names were given to the police," he said. "I can't get my mind around it."
A deputy prosecutor asked Superior Court Judge Al Nielson to order that the boys have no contact with eight children identified only by their initials.
All the alleged targets were fifth-grade classmates, school Principal Clayton Allen said.
The two boys were expelled, as was a third boy who reportedly knew about the plan but agreed to stay silent in return for the promise of $80.
The newspaper said much of the probable cause evidence has not been made public yet.
The judge scheduled a Feb. 20 hearing to determine whether the boys had the capacity to form the intent to commit a crime. Children ages 8 to 12 are presumed not to have that capacity unless prosecutors can show evidence that the children tried to keep the crime secret, displayed similar conduct in the past, and knew what they were doing was wrong, Deputy Prosecutor Lech Radzimski said.
The alleged plot evolved over two weeks, Radzimski said.
Allen has been meeting with concerned parents.
"I don't know how I would have dealt with it if a kid had been killed," he said. "It's tough."
Very glad no one was hurt and these kids were caught and identified as deviants.
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All three of these kids have serious problems and likely there were warning signs all along. But of course we spoon feed problem people in the world today and now we see the outcome. Two malcontent violents and one greedy selfish coward.
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My heart goes out to all parents who are trying to raise their kids right and have to deal with this.
In the weeks following the Columbine murders, we arrested two 5th graders for making homemade napalm they planned to ignite and splash over one's ex girl friend. This is not a new trend in kid violence we are seeing.
@swatguy1 That is very scary. Where are boundaries and compassion with these kids. They've not been raised in war torn countries.
TOO much TV. Insufficient activities to work out their aggression.
What are the roots of children who would think like this at such a tender age?
No hope, just lynch them tomorrow.
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Oh wait, nevermind, I'm sure they just need a hug and all will be well......................
violence in violence out.....
I'm sorry, the parents are to blame just as the children. You can not just sit your child down in front of some device, be it a video game, TV or what not without participation and help. THAT IS LIFE, you as a parent are required to teach and help them understand. It's not going to get easier for them, you are required to help. The parents should be taken in to custody for child abuse and tried right along with their children. It's time we wake up as a society and realize your actions, even if through another, hold the same impact both good and bad.
@Anev Yep, when I encounter parents who let their kids run wild, I stay away. I don't feel like being their personal jungle gym and learning ground. I love kids and know they need to learn but here are limits.
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Funny thing is I was raised by a single parent mother, with three other siblings. She knew what came in and out of our home. We also knew it was futile to be sneaky ;-)
@Anev BRAVO! Well said. I agree.
Give them the electric high chair!
What kind of stolen gun was it? Lately we have had children suspended for a bubble gun, a square piece of paper with one corner torn out and my favorite....the hand formed into a fist with one finger sticking straight ahead.
I am a public school teacher. In my 13 years of teaching, I'm seeing an INCREASING trend in antisocial behavior (e.g. bullying, cyberbullying, blatant insubordination, more profanity, lack of respect of others and property). I don't believe it when the liberal news media and the entertainment business deny that video games don't play a part. Look at X-Box LIVE where you actually talk to people while interacting with them via violent video games. Kids are swearing at adults and making rape gestures through the game character they use on the corpse of who they just killed. How are they to respect adults if they're allowed to swear and threaten adults? The media likes to publish names of shooters; in turn there are copy cat shooters. I don't remember any school shootings during the 80's and now it seems like it's happening every few months. These kids don't know how to react to adversity. Parents don't teach them. They just plop them in front of the television or are allowed to play video games. Parents need to take their kids out and interact with them. They need to volunteer at the school every once in a while. I'm on an education social site like facebook. It's a safer place for students. But because so many kids are used to anonymous negative comments, they have no filter when they post. I spend a lot of time mediating, banning, and kicking students off for rude, off topic, or innapproriate behavior. I teach 6-8th grade. All of these problems are with my 6th graders ONLY and includes both males and females. My 7th and 8th have had zero problems. Soon enough those 6th graders will filter upwards and all my grades will be like they are. Parents need to monitor their children and communicate with them. I have way too many parents who just don't care about what their kids do at school and show little attention when they're at home. On a field trip I forced my students to put away their phones and ipods and interact with each other. They had a blast and enjoyed one anothers' company. They need to learn how to interact. My close friend is a law enforcement officer. He says that many of the recruits have a very little social skills and have a difficult time interacting with people. Sometimes they don't know what to say. It's surprising that parents in some schools will defend using a cellphone at school DURING class. Nowadays, kids have no problem solving skills and they depend on T.V. for their overexaggerated drama filled responses to adversity. How are children supposed to become good parents when they were raised by video games and television with little interaction with other children? I believe that it is a copout when people say, "Times are changing." Yes, they're changing for the worse and we need to fix it. I also think it's funny when people say, "He's going to set us back a couple of decades." Sometimes I hope that we do; when people used to respect one another, kids could safely play outside, television was wholesome with valuable life lessons, and school mass murders didn't happen. I'm sure violence and crimes happened among children, but certainly not the extent that it is happening today. Of course, someone may respond to this post with "all of it did happen 20 years ago, it just wasn't reported". Another copout to not take action.
 @777 I agree with some of your post & disagree with other parts - but you are absolutely dead-on when you say/imply that we are first human beings and as such - need to sometimes put down the technology & talk to each other person to person, & learn interpersonal skills.  And that we cannot become whole people until we do.  Right on, on that point!
 @777 I can't read your brick of text. The fact that you claim to be a school teacher is disturbing to me. Did you learn how to create paragraphs?Â
@lakeview @777 You're right, lakeview. I should be more mindful of my paragraphs. However, your second sentence is a personal attack. Please stay on topic.
 @777 The problem of government schools is that they have so few of teachers like you. Just look at those who are elected to public office to see that the electorate is without rational thought.
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Yes too much TV and mindless games- the parent's drugs of choice.
 @777 Not 'copping out' but there were 20 school shootings in the 1980s. Obviously the media has put these shootings more to the forefront than it has in the past.
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Unfortunately the motto "if it bleeds, it leads" has too much truth to it. And we are partially to blame because we spend so much time on those stories and readership is what the media sells.
The parents need to be held responsible for not securing the stolen gun and NOT being proper guardians of the boys.
 @ur 1 pea short of a pod I was thinking almost the same thing. It might not of been the parents gun, but the question is. Why was the gun not secured? Not only should it of been locked in a cabinet or box. Key secured in a safe place away from locked firearms. But also why was there no lock on the trigger? Yes the gun owner needs to also be held responsible.
Parents need to get INVOLVED Â in their kids' business.
 @Susie Born While I agree 100% that involved and effective parenting would solve about 98% of of the problems we have with kids these days, my guess here is that the parents probably aren't the type that attend PTA meetings or that really care about societal norms as we view them.
where do these kids get their problem solving skills from?
 @Komo Dragon I'd venture a guess that they emulate a lot of their actions and thoughts on what they see and hear at home.  I'd venture a second guess, and this is just pure speculation, that none of the parents involved here would fall in to the "upstanding members of the community" group.
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 @Komo Dragon Pick your choice of game console as the possible culprit.
 @DarkRenegade both my kids play video games, and I keep very close tabs on what they play and how long they play. It's hard at times, because my priorities are different than my son's ;-) School results and homework are #1, 20mins of reading #2, playing one musical instrument #3, at least one extracurricular sport #4, and only then screen time, which includes games or TV. If any of these suffer and need extra time, activities are pushed out the bottom end. So far so good.
@Komo Dragon @DarkRenegade
Kudos to you. Yep, that was the order of the day in our home. We had to be involved in activities that were beneficial to ourselves and help others. Additionally, we were not allowed to be obnoxious to our peers and definitely not adults.
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In my neighborhood (supposedly one of the better ones) there is a group of girls who converge on a local business. The owner is really nice, but he has to tell them that it is time to go so he can help customers. They are poking fun of him and just talking stupid (yes I did to when I was a kid, well even now sometimes), and won't move aside for customers With their friends is one thing but in someones business, that is poor behavior.
 @Komo Dragon Sitcoms.
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 @burton they are pretty bad, especially because they portrait obnoxious behavior as being o.k. - not allowed in our house.
 @Komo Dragon It seems like they portray obnoxious, disrespectful behavior as "cute" - which is certainly is not - and the kids just mimic it & no one stands up with clear, firm boundaries to tell them that this in NOT ok.
 @burton  @Komo Dragon Unfortunately you are 100% correct. The mindless tube keeps them drugged.
@contraryjim @burton @Komo Dragon Well when shows like Jackass are held-up as entertainment and cool it doesn't help. I have a broad sense of humor, there is much to laugh about, but it seems as if the extremes that are not healthy is what is promoted today ;-(