After a school in the South Bay area of California failed to take action against students for creating a “hit list” targeting African-American students, leaders in the community took matters into their own hands.

Last fall, Monta Vista High School students in Cupertino posted the racist list to social media. In September, the school looked into the issue, yet no punishments occurred. 

"If we allow this to happen to one community member, we allow it to happen to everyone," said Ross Pusey of the Alliance Black and Brown Advocates.

Other Black leaders of the community were upset police didn’t get involved due to the seriousness of the threat.

"You're talking about killing people in school. Killing people — you understand," said Walter Wilson of the African-American Community Service Agency.

As a result of the list, Attorney Richard Richardson filed suit on behalf of one of the students who has since left the school.

"They created a kill list, and on the list were the names of six or seven African-American students in the school,” Richardson told ABC7 News. "They gave a specific and credible threat that they would kill her with bullets, and they talked about how many bullets it would take."

Additionally, two months ago at the same school, a messaged that used the word lynch and the N-word was posted on Instagram. Just like the incident of the “hit list,” the students were not punished.

"There is no discipline such as detention, such as suspension or expulsion ever considered," Richardson told ABC7 News.

Now, the case has been referred to the district attorney for criminal prosecution, the DA is now reviewing the case, reported ABC7 News.