Martial Arts Professional Magazine

Dallas, Texas…When Chuck Norris recently discovered that his name was found on a New Jersey teen’s hit list, he didn’t hesitate to use that opportunity to speak about such behavior and early warning signs of troubled children and teens.

According to Norris’ statement, his first instinct was to say nothing about the incident, so there wouldn’t be added media scrutiny. After further thought, he said, “I realize that this is not the best course, for such behaviors are exactly the warning signs we have ignored for far too long, emanating from a growing at-risk population of young people in this country. [We must reach] out to those lost souls who feel marginalized and disenfranchised by the world around them.”

Norris took the opportunity to showcase his Kick Start Program, which promotes martial arts in school’s physical education curriculum, as a positive force for at-risk youth to resist peer pressure to do drugs and alcohol. The program currently serves 6,000 students a year in 37 local Dallas schools.

The police investigation of a Pennsauken High School (New Jersey) student seemed to indicate that this was most likely a joke on the part of the 11-grade boy, instead of any credible intent. A note, discovered by a teacher, on a school desk listed three classmates, a school staffer and Norris.

Authorities did take the incident seriously, immediately taking the boy into custody and searching his school locker and home, where no weapons were found. They reported there were no signs that the boy was prepared to carry out his plans; neither did he have a history of violent behavior.
According to police, the one count of making a terrorist threat is meant to send a message and they don’t anticipate the teen being jailed.