Mom Foils Son's 'N Sync Murder Plot

Mother of a Tennessee teenager turns in her son, who allegedly plotted to gun down the megaselling boy band

By Mark Armstrong Oct 19, 2000 8:15 PMTags
And we thought Eminem was the one who supposedly inspired violence in our kids.

The mother of a Tennessee teenager is being credited by police with thwarting her own son's twisted--but apparently very detailed--plot to murder the megadreamy boys of 'N Sync during an Atlanta concert this weekend.

His alleged motive? "The group gets all the good girls," according to a Sumner County, Tennessee, detective.

The 17-year-old boy, whose name was not released, is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation. According to the Gallatin, Tennessee, News-Examiner, his mother called police last week, after she found a folder in his room labeled "Operation Death Strike."

Inside, authorities say, was "a pretty detailed plan" to rob a local gun store by "taking out" the owner and stealing some guns; the teenager would then head over to Atlanta, where he intended to ambush the platinum-selling popsters during their October 21 concert at the Philips Arena. The plan also included drawings and a "Plan B" for facing down police if they got wind of his plot before he carried it out.

Authorities say they alerted school administrators in the town of Hendersonville, in case there were any repercussions. And police told the paper they've tried, unsuccessfully thus far, to reach representatives for 'N Sync, which is currently touring in support of its huge hit No Strings Attached. Reps for the band's label couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Sumner County Sheriff's Chief Bob Barker says detectives are currently waiting to hear from psychologists to determine what's next. Barker believes the plans stemmed from intense feelings of jealousy.

"With the upcoming concert in Atlanta, there was a group of males and females talking about whether to go, and I think he probably had some feelings of frustration of having to compete with them," he tells E! Online. "That may have brought out some feelings that he may have written down.

"But I don't think he had the ability to [carry it out]," he adds. "He had no access to any weapons or firearms, and he would have had to overpower somebody to first obtain a weapon. If he succeeded there, then he had the transportation issue of how to get to Atlanta."

Which would be a tough six-hour drive in mom's car, that's for sure.

Still, Barker praised the teen's mom for having the courage to seek help from authorities.

"We think it's wonderful that the mother was paying attention to her child," he says. "What has happened in the last few years, from the East Coast to the West, has brought a new awareness to parents."