After reading the article, I am not sure that these students were actually going to do anything. Details in the story are skimpy. They did not even have any weapons. Saying you are going to do something is a lot different from actually doing it. Anyhow, I suppose the police had to take the information seriously. If the students were taking concrete actions, than the arrests were warranted. If they students were just shooting off their mouths, I suppose some sort of counseling and or other corrective action should have been done. You can’t be certain on this until more details are released.
*** If they students were just shooting off their mouths,***
My dad always warned us kids to NEVER SAY YOU WANT TO KILL SOMEONE! If that person suddenly turns up dead YOU would be the first suspect.