Claims 12-year-old girls drew up kill list

Two 12-year-old girls in the US allegedly drew up a list of people they would like to kill, during a science class.

Police say the pair drew up the list adding entries until they had names of 40 teachers, students and family members.

They were arrested when classmates at Base Line Middle School found the list in a recycling bin and gave it to school authorities.

One of the girls told police "it was just talk'" and they weren't really going to hurt anyone.

One witness said the girls told him they were going to run away to California after the rampage, live in a mansion and have a get-away car full of guns and knives, reports the Star Tribune. Police said when asked how they would afford such things, the girls said they would become "hit women'" and charge $500 (€570) a kill.

The girls face possible misdemeanour charges of interference with staff, faculty or students of an educational institution.

One of the suspects told police she was planning to break the lock of her stepfather's gun case, which contained several "long" guns and at least one handgun. She said she had experience with the weapons because she had been elk hunting.

Police also said one of the girls told school principal Candy Hyatt she was having bad thoughts all the time and wanted to kill herself. The girl was mentally evaluated at a local hospital.

Neither student is back in school, but it's believed an expulsion hearing will be held by the end of the month.