'Kill list' found on elementary school iPad

COCOLALLA — A “kill list” found on an iPad in a Southside Elementary classroom last week is receiving serious attention from local law enforcement.

While Bonner County Sheriff’s Office officials said there’s no remaining danger to Southside students, they’re still not taking the threats lightly. Discovered last Wednesday in a fifth-grade classroom, the list has since prompted an investigation from both the sheriff’s office and the Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office.  

“When we get any cases like this, we take it very seriously,” Sheriff Daryl Wheeler said.

Authorities confirmed that the iPad stored a “kill list” document containing the names of each student in the class. Law enforcement investigation into the threat began last Thursday, with Det. Sgt. Gary Johnston interviewing both the classroom teacher and several students who read the list for themselves.

While the sheriff’s office can’t disclose details involving an ongoing investigation, Johnston confirmed that any potential danger to Southside Elementary students has been neutralized.

“There’s no threat to the kids at school,” he said. “That’s been taken care of.”

Bonner County prosecutor Louis Marshall said the suspect was an 11-year-old male, but other details about the list or its author are withheld under law enforcement protocol. Likewise, Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Shawn Woodward said the student’s information, including any disciplinary actions being taken against him, is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. However, he confirmed that the student is still enrolled in the district but is not attending school.  

“We’re being very thorough to ensure the safety of the school and its students,” Woodward said.

According to Marshall, the office hasn’t yet decided whether charges will be filed. Since determining if the list represents a true threat is a fine line to walk, he said they have to proceed carefully.

“Obviously, we are dealing with a young child at an elementary school,” Marshall said.  “Often children don’t understand the ramifications of making threats of violence.”

If the prosecutor’s office moves forward, it will likely file charges of threatening violence on school grounds, a misdemeanor offense. Under Idaho Code, the prosecutor doesn’t need to prove that the charged individual actually intended to carry out the threat.

“Hopefully, we will be able to get to the bottom of the situation and help the school and the parents to feel safe in their environment,” Marshall said.

A letter sent this week from Southside Elementary Principal Kathy Berget detailed the situation to local parents. School officials promised to keep parents and community members informed as information develops. They also reiterated that all appropriate actions have been taken to maintain school security.

“My primary concern is for the safety of each one of our students,” Berget said in her letter to parents.