A Florida man is accused of planning to kill elementary school students because they attend a school painted to look like an American flag.
Authorities say Andrew Ivan Aman, 22, plotted to stab as many children as possible at Bellamy Elementary School in Tampa, Florida, before police took him into custody under the state’s Baker Act for a mental health evaluation.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office issued a document detailing his plan to warn others about the alleged threat, WTVT-TV reported.
The document, which was labeled “situational awareness” and “law enforcement sensitive” was released by the sheriff’s office Monday and described Aman’s plot to “stab as many children as possible.”
“If adults get in the way, he planned to stab them as well,” the document added.
Aman allegedly took issue with the school because it was painted with the colors of the American flag and showed American pride. The 22-year-old suspect— who has a history of severe mental illness— wanted to target the American elementary school because he dislikes the U.S. and the school’s “obnoxious pride in America,” according to the document.
The document also stated that Aman stopped his plan after he confessed his plot to his roommate while on the way to the school. The roommate then reported the plan to the police. Authorities then took Aman into custody.
A search of Aman’s residence found there were no firearms on the premises.
WFLA-TV reported that the elementary school was named after Francis Bellamy, a Tampa native who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance in 1882.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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