A group of preteen girls in Surprise, Arizona, plotted to stab a male classmate to death but were thwarted when other students overheard them chatting about their devious plan, according to a shocking police report that was just released.
Four children, all between the ages of 10 and 11 years old, were arrested last fall on charges of threatening and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
According to authorities, the group of fifth grade girls came up with the idea on the afternoon of Oct. 1, 2024, while on their lunch and recess break. A few eavesdropping students told police they initially thought the group was joking, but things “started to get serious” when the goal of the conversation became clear: to “just end him,” stated the report obtained by AZ Family.
Police believe that one of the accused girls was in a “relationship” with the victim, and a recent breakup and accusations of cheating fueled the alleged conspiracy.
Unfortunately, violent crimes perpetrated by minors in the U.S. are on the rise, according to FBI data.
The plan was to lure the boy to an outside bathroom on Legacy Traditional School’s West Surprise campus and fatally stab him in the stomach. Authorities described a chilling level of detail and planning: one girl would supply the murder weapon, while another would fake a suicide note to avert suspicion. Yet another girl would act as the lookout, and the fourth girl would wield the knife. To avoid leaving incriminating fingerprints, they would all wear gloves, the report stated.
The day after the students were reported to school administrators, police searched their backpacks and questioned each child individually with their parents present.
While three of the girls showed remorse and regret, the police report stated that the fourth girl and her parent did not take it seriously. The girl “would smile and laugh and made excuses for the actions,” the report stated.
After the arrests were made, the suspects, two 10-year-olds and two 11-year-olds, were released into the custody of their parents. They have been suspended from school pending expulsion, per the report.
Legacy Traditional School, part of a network of public charter schools in Arizona, Nevada, and Texas, immediately addressed the incident after learning about it, but has refused to comment further, citing the safety and well-being of their students.
“Due to federal student privacy laws, we cannot discuss individual student disciplinary matters,” the school’s statement read. “As outlined in the Legacy Student Code of Conduct, any student who makes or shares a threat may face disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion.”
The victim’s parent told police that she would “aid in the prosecution of the students.”
