Arrested: Man found on roof of Waterford school, had unloaded firearms in vehicle
RACINE COUNTY -- A Waterford man caused alarm at an elementary school after appearing on its roof.
The Racine County Sheriff's Office says it was around 9 p.m. Monday, September 14th that the 18-year-old man showed up on the roof of Woodfield Elementary School. Early Tuesday morning, officials determined there was no threat to the students or staff. Even so, parents were given the choice of whether or not to send their kids to school.
The message from Woodfield's principal was brief. It read as follows:
"There was an incident last night at Woodfield school. Police have secured the building and investigated the incident and have assured us there are no safety concerns. We will be moving forward with the normal school day."
According to the Racine County Sheriff's Office, the 18-year-old man was spotted on the roof of Woodfield Elementary -- saying he was retrieving a ball. Investigators then found unloaded firearms in the trunk of his car which was parked on school property. The man was arrested for criminal trespassing and possession of a firearm on school property.
This was all addressed in another message from the school -- this one from the superintendent of the district.
"The Racine County Sheriff's Department has been working with our crisis response team throughout the night and today."
School district officials say out of the more than 400 kids that attend Woodfield Elementary, there were about 136 absences on Tuesday. But not all were because of the incident.
As for the man on the roof, he was taken to the Racine County Jail. Officials say he was cooperative during the incident.