N Sync's Would-Be Assassin's Plot Foiled

Authorities in the Sumner County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee have confirmed that a seventeen-year-old boy, who has not been identified because of his age, is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation after a comprehensive plan detailing a plot to kill the members of 'N Sync was found in his possession.

The plan came to light when his mother noticed some changes in her son's behavior and mood and found a folder in his room labeled "Operation Death Strike." The folder contained a checklist for his plan to harm the group when they performed in Atlanta on Oct. 21. Once the plot was discovered, the mother immediately contacted local authorities, who met with her and her son.

However, according to Deputy Chief Barker, who described the boy as deeply "remorseful," there was never reason to believe that the boy would carry out his plans against the group. "We don't see any criminal intent on his part," Chief Barker said, "because he didn't take any steps to implement the plan, though he had several weeks to do it. He had no access [to weapons], none of his close associates or friends were approached [to aid him in obtaining weapons]."

As for a motive, apparently as the concert approached the teenager became frustrated hearing his female classmates discuss the band, the concert and which members they liked best.

The Sheriff's office contacted 'N Sync's management to let them know of the incident and have spoken with security firms in Atlanta regarding the concert. But the Deputy Sheriff says this was strictly out of courtesy as they believe the incident to be "a frustrated teenage thing and not a plan to be carried out."

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Song Stories

“Help Me”

Joni Mitchell | 1974

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded this song for her album Court and Spark, but she had to switch from her regular band to make the song sound exactly the way she wanted. "I had attempted to play my music with rock & roll players," she told Rolling Stone. "They’d laugh, 'Awww, isn't that cute? She's trying to teach us how to play.'" Mitchell switched to a jazz band, Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, and scored the biggest hit of her career in the process.

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