Student’s alleged ‘hit list’ prompts armed guard at O.C. campus
A Santa Ana charter school said it would keep an armed guard on campus at least until spring break after a student allegedly created a “hit list” of schoolmates and threatened to carry out a campus attack.
The 16-year-old male sophomore at NOVA Academy Early College High School was arrested after he sent an email to a former girlfriend that contained a threat to shoot other students, Santa Ana police said.
The student, whose name was not released because of his age, named 10 fellow students on his “hit list” and said he planned to recruit other classmates to help him carry out the attack, Santa Ana police said in a statement.
He didn’t threaten his ex-girlfriend, police said, but did say he was tired of being bullied.
The school’s principal called the Santa Ana Police Department about 7 p.m. Monday after the former girlfriend reported the email.
Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said investigators didn’t find any weapons at the student’s Santa Ana home, but were taking the threat seriously.
“He made it clear that he would do whatever it took to get his mission accomplished,” Bertagna told KTLA-TV News.
The student was arrested and placed in juvenile hall. Santa Ana police also obtained an emergency restraining order on behalf of the school and the ex-girlfriend.
The families of students who may have been on the hit list were contacted Monday afternoon about the threat.
School administrators said they would have an armed guard on campus from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday until at least April 11.
Twitter: @AdolfoFlores3
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
