Police: 5 ‘kill lists’ found at MacArthur

Anne Arundel department investigating what could be threat of mass violence

Anne Arundel County Police are investigating five “kill lists” discovered at MacArthur Middle School in the past week, said Sgt. Jacklyn Davis, a department spokeswoman.

The first, discovered Monday in a textbook, listed names of eighth grade students and appeared to be written by a student, but did not include the name of the author, said Bob Mosier, a spokesman for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. On Tuesday, school administrators discovered four similar lists. One was in a comic book, and the rest were written on bathroom walls.

These lists could be considered threats of mass violence, Davis said, and county police have opened a criminal investigation in this case.

Officials at the school, which is located on the grounds of Fort George G. Meade, also are investigating the lists and have contacted the parents of every student whose name appeared on the list, Principal Eugene Whiting said in an email.

“I realize this information is alarming, but I want to emphasize that we are taking every step possible to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” Whiting said.

Whiting said all the lists were found in eighth grade areas of the school and included only eighth grade students. He said none of the lists had any indication of the author’s identity.

“While there is a likelihood that the four lists discovered yesterday are ‘copycat’ lists — and that the one found Monday was intended as a prank — we are taking each list very seriously,” Whiting said.

The school’s police resource officer will be involved as they interview students and attempt to find out who wrote the lists. In his email, Whiting asked parents to talk to their kids about the lists and to call the school if they have any information about who might be involved.

“Whether they are serious lists or they are pranks, and again we are taking them all seriously, they are not something we find funny in any way, shape or form,” Mosier said. “They are certainly a violation of the student code of conduct, and they very may well be crimes.”