Kindergartner uses knife to threaten students and teacher at school, SC deputies say
A 7-year-old kindergarten student brought a knife to a Midlands elementary school and threatened to kill students and teachers, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
The incident happened at Cherryvale Elementary School, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. The school is on Furman Drive in Sumter, near the intersection with Broad Street and about 4 miles from Shaw Air Force Base.
No students, faculty or staff were injured, according to the sheriff’s office. There was no word if the school was placed on lockdown or another safety protocol.
The 7-year-old, who is not being publicly identified because of his age, was charged with a weapons violation for carrying weapons on school property, according to the release.
The student brought the knife from home in his book bag and threatened his classmates and teacher, the sheriff’s office said.
The knife is a stainless-steel kitchen knife that’s about a foot long with a seven-inch blade, according to the release. It has been has been entered into evidence at the sheriff’s office headquarters, according to the release.
When asked why he brought the knife to school, the student said he wanted to kill the teachers and then the students by stabbing them in the heart, the sheriff’s office said. The 7-year-old said he knew how to do this from watching the “Child’s Play” movies (and TV show) featuring the character Chucky, who is an evil doll.
The sheriff’s office said it’s working with school officials as it continues to investigate the incident.
There was no word if the child was released to the custody of parents/guardians.
In addition to the criminal charge, information about a specific punishment from the school and Sumter School District was not available.
In January, a 6-year-old student at a Virginia elementary school shot and injured a teacher, USA Today reported. Police in Newport News, Virginia, said the child and the teacher had an “altercation” before a single shot was fired in the first-grade classroom, according to the news agency.
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This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 12:42 PM.
