Three sixth-grade students at a Southwest Florida charter school were arrested after their plot to set the school on fire to kill “rude people” was uncovered.
The trio attended Six Mile Charter Academy in Lee County and was arrested and charged with conspiring to commit first-degree arson, NBC affiliate WBBH-TV reported.
On Monday, deputies were called to the school about a threat involving the students, who had planned to start a fire in an upstairs bathroom during school hours.
Authorities confiscated a lighter in one student’s backpack, who later told them their plan was for the whole second floor to burn. But she was supposed to run downstairs to report the fire so younger children could be saved.
A witness told deputies about the plan and said they had heard one student say she would “pretend to cry” while another was going to get extra paper for the fire.
“We are very proud of the brave students who advised administration when they found out about the plot and allowed us to immediately address the situation,” the school said in a statement. “As a result of students choosing to do the right thing, the rest of our school family can now continue learning as usual.“
