SIDNEY, IA – An 18-year-old fire cadet from Sidney, Iowa, is facing serious charges after authorities allege she crafted a “hit list” of individuals she intended to target with arson. The accused, Kaelyn Alexis Surrell, is said to have included both students and staff members from her school, Sidney High School, as well as other community members on this list.
According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Surrell didn’t just create the list but also threatened to carry out arson attacks on the people named in it. It was reported by local station KCRG that Surrell had shared her list with at least one other individual via Snapchat.
The authorities further stated that the list was composed of individuals with whom Surrell had negative encounters, providing her with a motive to harm them. As a cadet with the Shenandoah Fire Department, Surrell was potentially equipped with the knowledge necessary to execute the threatened acts of arson.
Surrell was arrested on December 26, facing charges that include seven counts of threatening terrorism, a felony offense. She is currently detained under a $5,000 bond. The investigation into the case continues, and it should be noted that Surrell remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.