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Apparent hit list discovered at West Mifflin High School; Student facing charges

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WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — A student is facing serious charges after an apparent hit list was discovered Thursday at West Mifflin High School, Channel 11 News learned.

West Mifflin High School Principal Phillip Woods told Channel 11’s Rick Earle that a parent came to the school Thursday morning, saying their student was on an apparent hit list.

The hit list was discovered after school officials launched an investigation and called police. In total, eight names were on the list.

“There were names, and there was another column with numbers, and that was it. There was nothing like a statement made, (like), ‘This is going to happen to this guy. This is going to happen to this guy,’” Woods said.

The principal quickly identified the student who made the list. He said the student apparently had a friend who had some trouble with those students and that's why he may have made the list.

Woods and Dan Castagna, the district’s superintendent, would not elaborate, only saying the letter was threatening.

“It's one of those cases where I don't think this child was capable of pulling this off, but as a parent myself, and parents of other students’ names on that list, we know how seriously we have to take this matter. And unfortunately, in this situation, the student will be punished,” Castagna said. “So it's a message to all the other students out there: Be careful what you write. It's only a joke if the person takes it as a joke. It's not what you say, it's how they take those things. So it's a very important message for all students to hear.”

Earle reported that the student has been suspended and will face charges as a juvenile.

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