Prosecutors are requesting that one of three juveniles accused of making school threats last month be waived into adult court.
A hearing on whether the 16-year-old Columbus male will face two allegations of felony intimidation in adult court is set for 11 a.m. March 27 in Bartholomew Juvenile Court before Magistrate Heather Mollo, court records state.
The teen, a former Columbus East High School student, is accused of communicating a threat to another person Feb. 21 with the intent of interfering with the occupancy of Columbus East High School while drawing or using a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony, court documents state. In the second allegation, a Level 6 felony, the teen is accused of communicating a threat to commit a forcible felony to another person to interfere with the occupancy of Columbus East, court documents state.
The incident in which the threats were alleged to have happened began early in the Feb. 21 school day, when East students moving large items in a hallway accidentally hitting a fire alarm box, activating the alarm, school officials said. East students evacuated and began taking photos and videos while outside, which they shared on social media.
The former student is accused of sending a response back to one or more of the current students via social media, making a threat of violence, Columbus police said. He also sent a photo of himself holding a firearm, police said. Police identified the juvenile from the photo and arrested him the same day, taking him to the Bartholomew County Youth Services Center.
The prosecutor’s office is not seeking to waive the other two juveniles accused of making school threats into adult court, according to court records.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
