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Three nine-year-old students at Elba Elementary School, in the small town between Buffalo and Rochester, spoke to other students about a plot to kill their "mean" teacher "by putting antibacterial products around the classroom," to which the teacher said she was highly allergic.

(Google via Syracuse.com)

What do police find when trying to unravel an alleged homicide plot in an elementary classroom in New York state?

The alleged motive among the three fourth-grade students cops say were out to kill their teacher with hand sanitizer was that she was "mean."

This, according to our sister website, Syracuse.com in New York, which writes:

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster of the Genesee County Sheriff's Dept. told the Daily News that police found that the motivation for murder was students' claims that the teacher was "mean." One student said she yells at the class and that "the class has problems with her."

The New York Daily News reported that 9-year-old students at Elba Elementary School, in the small town between Buffalo and Rochester, spoke to other students about a plot to kill their teacher "by putting antibacterial products around the classroom."

The teacher had informed students that she was highly allergic to hand sanitizer and banned it in the classroom.

According to the Daily News, the alleged plan unraveled just before winter break, when a student who had heard about it told parents, who then brought it to the attention of the school board.

According to a police report provided to WGRZ.com, the suspected students were interviewed by youth officers with their parents and school officials present. The students reportedly contradicted themselves in separate interviews with school officials.

The plot allegedly stemmed from bullying issues in the particular fourth grade class, which had "problems working together," according to the police report.

Chief Brewster called the plot "idle chatter" and said the students have not been charged with any crimes.

The case was referred to the school district. None of the names of the students involved, or the teacher, have been released, but The Batavia Daily News reported that two of the students involved were suspended.

Some media reported that an attempt was actually made to kill the teacher, but The Batavian clarified that the students never actually got around to spreading hand sanitizer around the classroom.

The Elba Central School District posted the following statement in light of the widespread attention the incident has gained:

It has been widely reported that certain fourth-grade students had been discussing a way to harm a teacher in the Elba Central School District. This event has been a shock to our community and school. The District cannot comment on the specifics of this event, including discipline, as the information is protected from disclosure under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The Sheriff's Department concluded that no crime had been committed and the matter was turned back over to the District. The District in turn has worked with the parents and students involved to address this issue. It is important to note that no one was injured or actually placed in harm's way. The District does not condone any of the behaviors that have been reported and is in the process of working alongside the Sheriff's Department to use this incident as a vehicle for educating the District's students regarding appropriate behaviors.