A male student from Columbus East High School is in custody on a preliminary charge of intimidation, accused of posting on social media that he was going to shoot up the school in two days.
The threat was discovered in a Snapchat message to students, who made the school aware of it at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, said Larry Perkinson, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. employee and student assistance coordinator.
Within five minutes, Columbus East dean Michael McBride and Columbus Police Department school resource officer Julie Quesenbery went to the student’s classroom and removed him, isolating the student in a private area in another part of the building away from students, Perkinson said.
No evacuation or lockdown was required or utilized, he said.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
The juvenile suspect was arrested and taken into custody at the high school by police officers without incident and transported to the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center on a preliminary charge of intimidation, a Level 6 felony, said Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the Columbus Police Department.
A Level 6 felony in Indiana is punishable by a sentence of six months to two-and-a-half years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to state code.
The student suspect could also face a suspension — in school or out of school — or expulsion from the high school, Perkinson said.
It was the second threat made by a southern Indiana high school student in two days, according to police.
The age or grade in school of the Columbus East student accused of making the threat was not immediately released by the Columbus Police Department.
Despite the threat, there’s no indication that students who return for classes at Columbus East today face any danger, Harris said.
Students who brought the threat to the attention of law enforcement and school staff deserve credit, Harris said.
“They took that seriously, as did law enforcement. Regardless of the intentions of the student who sent the message, we’re going to take that very seriously in light of recent events,” Harris said.
He was referring to the Feb. 14 shootings in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed. A 19-year-old former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has been charged in the Florida case.
“Anyone considering sending any type of message should strongly consider the words they use because of concerns across the community and across the country due to violence we’re seeing in schools and businesses,” said Harris, who indicated that his department’s investigation of the Columbus East matter is continuing.
An alert from the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. was sent to parents and others who subscribe to the district’s notification system just after 2 p.m. to notify them of the matter, Perkinson said.
The alert said: “The Columbus Police Department has been notified of a threat against East High School. The threat was made in a group post on Snapchat and was reported to school officials by students. The student responsible for posting the threat has been identified and isolated. Law enforcement is involved. Threats and/or intimidation will not be tolerated by BCSC.”
Senior administrators Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. advised building supervisors to review their safety plans after the Florida shooting, Perkinson said.
Scott County case
In Scott County, meanwhile, a female juvenile was arrested Tuesday afternoon after threats were made at Austin High School on Monday and on social media Monday night, according to the Indiana State Police.
State Police Detective Matt Busick from the Sellersburg post was called to the high school after a student made an alleged threat to harm others, the agency announced Tuesday afternoon.
As Busick was working with school, the Scott County Prosecutor’s Office and Austin City Police Department officials about the incident at school, the female juvenile began posting other alleged threats on a popular social media page, said Sgt. Jerry Goodin, State Police public information officer at the Sellersburg post.
Busick completed his investigation and presented it to the prosecutor’s office Tuesday morning, requesting a pick-up order on the female juvenile, Goodin said. The order was granted by the Scott County Circuit Court and the female was arrested and transported to the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center in Jeffersonville, he said. She was charged with three counts of juvenile delinquency/intimidation.
Any real or perceived threats toward a school and/or students will be dealt with the utmost urgency and thoroughness, Goodin said.
The Scott County girl’s name, address and photo are being withheld because she is a juvenile, Goodin said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Possible penalties” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
If charged and convicted of intimidation, a Level 6 felony in Indiana, a Columbus East student accused of using social media to make a threat against the high school could be punished with a sentence of six months to two-and-a-half years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to state code.
Through the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp., the Columbus East student suspect could also face a suspension — in school or out of school — or expulsion from the high school, an administrator said.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
