A student’s impulsive attempt to jump on the Death Note trend left an entire school shaken.
In the United States, a student prompted an immediate police investigation after bringing a “Death Note” notebook containing the names of multiple classmates to school, turning what was reportedly a fan-inspired project into a potential security concern.
Student’s “Kira” Roleplay Prompts Police Investigation
The incident occurred at Chocksett Middle School in Sterling, Massachusetts, where school administrators discovered a homemade notebook inspired by the popular manga series Death Note near the end of the school day. Because the notebook contained a list of names belonging to students at the school, administrators immediately notified the Sterling Police Department to investigate it as a potential security threat.
After a swift investigation and interviews with dozens of students, police and Principal Tina Boss concluded that the boy had simply been creating a fan item inspired by his favorite anime series and had no intention of harming anyone.
Outraged Parents Demand Students Be Separated
Although authorities determined that there was no actual danger and no criminal charges were pursued, the incident continued to leave many parents deeply concerned. The mother of a female student whose name appeared in the “Death Note” hired a lawyer and demanded that the school keep the two students completely separated during classes. She insisted that this was not a funny joke and that her daughter had the right to attend school without living in fear, regardless of whether the notebook was inspired by an anime or a game.
Notably, this was far from an isolated incident at a school in the United States. Over the years, numerous similar cases involving the notebook featured in the work of manga creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata have been reported. More recently, a 12-year-old boy was arrested in Florida, while similar incidents also occurred in Ohio, Alabama, and New Hampshire.
After serving a three-day suspension, the student returned to school, while authorities continued to maintain a security presence at the educational facility.
A Brief Introduction to Death Note
Death Note is a legendary manga and anime franchise written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The story follows Light Yagami, a brilliant high school student who accidentally discovers a supernatural notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written in it. Using this power, Light adopts the alias Kira and launches a campaign to eliminate criminals around the world, setting the stage for an intense battle of wits with the mysterious detective L.
Sources: gamek