CHINA GROVE, N.C. — Several families are on alert after an alleged hit list was found at China Grove Middle School. Parents said the names of several kids were on the list, prompting heightened security on campus.
The student accused of creating the list is facing disciplinary action at school and the China Grove Police Department is also investigating. Some of the school's parents said they never expected to get a call like this.
“It was scary," Taylor Campbell said. "You don’t want to hear that about your child or any child. With everything going on at other schools, it’s heartbreaking.”
Parents said they are worried about their kids' safety, including Destiny Farmer, who learned about the incident when she got a call from the principal.
“She let me know that my son’s name was on a kill list on a computer that was seen by another student,” Farmer said.
Campbell also got a call.
“She didn’t want to alarm us,” Campbell said. “But my son was on a hit list that a seventh grader made.”
On Friday, the Rowan-Salisbury School System said a student reported seeing something concerning on another student’s computer.
“Despite his nerves, he reported what he saw to administrators, and his willingness to speak up helped us begin an investigation,” a spokesperson for the district said in a statement.
China Grove police said they quickly began investigating and gathering facts about what happened. The agency said multiple search warrants have been completed to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
“I was shaking, I was scared to send my son back to school, Farmer said. "He’s at home right now."
Parents whose kids were directly affected were notified Monday and the rest of the school community Tuesday was notified morning.
“Going as far as making a list, that is a credible threat,” Farmer said. “They should have called us that evening and said 'Hey, this is going on to give us some reassurance.'”
Campbell said she immediately picked up her son after learning what happened.
"My child went to school, he was oblivious all day and I let him go to a soccer game after school Monday because I hadn't gotten the call yet," she said. "He was at an after-school event when I got the call."
Parents were told the student accused of making the hit list is facing 10 days of suspension and possible expulsion.
The district could not confirm this and sent a statement saying in part:
“While we cannot discuss the student of concern or the discipline we have assigned in this matter, we can assure you that we have followed the RSS code of conduct for this level of student behavior and will take the needed steps to ensure the safety of students at China Grove Middle School.”
The school's statement does not take away Farmer’s fears.
“That this kid is going to come back to school … or other kids are involved,” she said.
Farmer said she wants to see more safety measures added to the school, including metal detectors, more resource officers and mental health counseling support for the child.
“Make sure this kid does not come back to school and [students] get the help they need,” Farmer said. “To go as far as to make a list like that … that kid needs someone to talk to, some counseling, some help.”
Meanwhile, the district is praising the student who reported the incident, asking parents to speak to their children about reporting safety concerns.
“We do want to celebrate students who saw something that didn’t feel right and said something to a trusted adult. Being brave enough to stand up and speak out is an important skill that enables students to protect themselves and each other. We are so proud of these kids.”
When China Grove police are done with its investigation it will present its findings to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Rowan County District Attorney’s Office.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.