Five school attack plots foiled in Ohio before students caused harm

CLEVELAND - Security officers and school officials have foiled at least five plots to attack Ohio schools since 2007, according to Ken Trump, the president of National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland-based school security consulting group.

According to Trump's data, four of the thwarted school assault attempts happened in northeast Ohio. Two of the incidents occurred in Cleveland, one occurred in Willoughby, and the fourth occurred at Cloverleaf High School in Medina County.

In Cleveland on Oct. 15, 2007, a 13-year-old girls was arrested after a school security officer "confiscated a five-page note that listed teachers and a student the girl wanted to shoot. Police later found a gun at the home where the girl lived," according to Trump's data.

On Nov. 7, 2007, Cloverleaf High School in Medina County was closed for the day after school officials found two graffiti threats on two bathroom walls.

On April 3, 2008, Cleveland police officers were called to a charter school after a "hit list" that included plans to blow up the school was discovered. At the school, officers were told a student hid a gun near the school. Officers went to a nearby house and found a loaded gun.

On Sept. 2, 2008, a 15-year-old boy was arrested after firing a gun in the school's hallway and at a trophy case. The student then put the gun to his head, but was talked out of taking his own life by school staff members. The school was locked down and evacuated. Police said the boy had a .40-caliber gun with 31 rounds of ammunition with him.

A fifth incident occurred in Cincinnati in January 2008. A 16-year-old ninth grade boy was arrested after he pulled a gun in a school cafeteria and fired two rounds into a hallway after an assistant principal tried to take the gun away from him.

Trump's data shows at least 122 school attack plots were foiled between 2000 and 2010. Trump said his list is just a small sample of the actual number of thwarted attacks. There is no national database detailing school violence plots.

"The truth is there are hundreds, if not thousands more that we don't even know about," said Trump.

Though it's high, Trump said number of foiled plots should give parents peace of mind. He said the number of thwarted attacks is far higher than the number of plots that are carried out.