McDonough investigates suspected hit list in student's journal

Friday, Nov. 12, 2010

Posted at 3:55 p.m. Friday

School administrators and resource officers are notifying Maurice J. McDonough High School parents whose students were named on an alleged hit list found in a student's journal.

Katie O'Malley-Simpson, Charles County Public Schools spokeswoman, said administrators were made aware Thursday of a possible hit list.

Schools were closed Thursday for Veterans Day.

On Friday morning, administrators and school resource officers met with the 11th-grade student suspected of creating the list and his parent.

O'Malley-Simpson said the student said the list was not real.

She said the "list was contained to a specific group of students," like a club.

School administrators personally contacted each student who was mentioned on the list and are contacting those student's parents. In addition, McDonough Principal Jervie Petty sent an e-mail to all parents with e-mail addresses on record at the school.

In the letter she wrote, "Working with the school resource officer and the student's parent, we immediately took action to eliminate any possible threat or danger to others at McDonough.

"While we are unable by law to go into great detail about any charges or disciplinary actions, I want to assure you that we investigate and act on every rumor or threat."

gphillips@somdnews.com