Finger gun gesture earns Kansas girl, 13, felony charge

A Kansas middle school student faces a felony charge after police say she flashed a gun-like hand gesture at several classmates, NBC News reported.

The unidentified juvenile, 13, stands accused of placing her fingers into a gun stance and pointing it at several peers and then herself when asked by a peer whom she would kill, the network reported.

According to USA Today, the incident occurred Sept. 18 at Westridge Middle School in Overland Park, Kansas. The girl was arrested the following day and charged with threatening a mass shooting.

"Overnight, some of those students contacted the school administration and expressed their fear of this individual, that based on this incident, they were in genuine fear of this individual," Overland Park Police Chief Frank Donchez told USA Today.

Jon Cavanaugh, the girl's grandfather, told the Kansas City Star his granddaughter does not have access to a firearm and he believes the incident "got completely out of hand."

"She was just mouthing off," he told the newspaper.

"I'm really worried about my granddaughter’s future,” Cavanaugh added, questioning why authorities were involved rather than the school handling the incident internally.

She is scheduled to appear in the District Court of Johnson County as a juvenile Tuesday.

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