SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Parents at Longfellow Elementary are on edge after they were notified that a young student had created a list of students titled “kill list."
ABC 10News spoke with several parents at the Bay Park school and San Diego Unified School District about the response to the incident.
One mother, who said her daughter's name was on the list along with more than a dozen other students, grew emotional and pointed to the current climate as her main reason for concern.
"As a mom, it's just really scary because it hits close to home," she said. "You cannot take these things lightly anymore. There is a pattern in this country."
The mother said her daughter and the student who wrote the list are both in the 3rd grade. The mother described a pattern of violent behavior from the student who created the list, including physical altercations like choking and pushing other children to the ground.
She said the principal personally called the parents of the students named on the list and an email went out to other school families, including a father who also spoke with ABC 10News.
“I think that's what troubled myself and a lot of the other parents," he said. "If there is a pattern or a conduct … that, in my mind, makes it more likely that someone may act," the father said.
A representative for San Diego Unified School District shared the following statement when asked about the incident:
"Longfellow staff and district police took immediate action to uphold our District’s commitment to provide safe and secure school sites. They determined this third-grade student was not a viable threat, however out of an abundance of caution, the student was removed from school and connected to support services. Parents of the students named on the list were notified and the principal communicated with other parents too. It’s important for parents and our community to know the District takes all threats or perceived threats seriously. The safety and wellness of your child and our staff is a top priority for the San Diego Unified School District."
The representative added parents will be notified whether or not the child in question returns to campus.
ABC 10News reporter Madison Weil asked the parents for their reaction to those who might excuse the behavior due to the child's age.
"Well, you know, there have been acts of shooting, like Virginia," replied the mother, referring to a story ABC 10News reported back in 2023 where a 6-year-old brought a gun to class and shot his teacher in the chest.
That teacher has since filed a lawsuit alleging the child had a history of violent behavior that the school ignored.
"These are avoidable events. The signs are there," said the mother, who added she hopes the child involved receives appropriate supportive services.
"As a parent, my heart goes out to that 3rd grader that did the ‘kill list’ as well," added the father. "But I get emotional … it’s like, I don't want the benevolence towards a child that has a history and a pattern to lead to something where some parent doesn't get to take their kid home.”
These thoughts, heartbreakingly, are now a part of being a parent in America.
