Woman, 32, arrested for making threats that led to lockdown at St. Margaret Mary School
MILWAUKEE -- A woman, 32, was arrested for making threats that led to a lockdown at St. Margaret Mary School in Milwaukee.
The lockdown happened Monday, April 9 at 92nd and Capitol.
According to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, the school went into a "soft lockdown" after the threat was discovered.
The specifics aren't being released, but we're told at no time were students in danger.
Charges against the woman could be filed in the coming days.
Below is a statement from Dr. Sabrina Claude, the principal at St. Margaret Mary School:
“On Monday, we received an external, verbal threat. We acted immediately by notifying the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) to safeguard our children. We implemented our emergency response protocol, and relied heavily on MPD for assistance and guidance. Making sure our school children and faculty are learning and working in a safe environment is our first priority.”
This letter was sent to parents on Tuesday, in addition to a separate letter sent Monday:
Dear St. Margaret Mary Families,
We wanted to update you on the information we shared yesterday about an external, verbal threat received at St. Margaret Mary School. Making sure you are informed of any potential safety issues, and our school children and faculty are learning and working in a safe environment is our first priority.
When the threat was received, we immediately contacted police. We also implemented a ‘soft’ lock down. This means all of the classroom doors and exterior building doors are locked, and that faculty are on extra watch to minimize movement within the school. No learning time was disrupted, and the lockdown was eventually removed. At no time was your child/children in danger.
To take extra precautions, we conducted school dismissal differently to ensure the safety of our students and families. We apologize for the delay these precautions caused. We also took additional precautions to ensure your child’s safe arrival to school this morning.
As of this morning, we have been informed by the police that they have a suspect in custody.
Due to the ongoing police investigation, we cannot share detailed information about the situation, but the police have informed us that an arrest has been made in relation to this threat. We will continue to work with the Milwaukee Police Department to ensure that all of the proper safety steps are taken. We are going to encourage a police presence around the school area to strengthen the relationship between the school and police department, in addition to creating an ongoing safe environment for our school family.
As of today, school arrival and dismissal procedures will return to normal.
We continue to strive to improve our communication with you. We have implemented a mass notification system for St, Margaret Mary School, and hope to go live within the coming days.
Please pray for our wonderful school family at St. Margaret Mary, and know that we will go above and beyond to ensure the safest, and best, possible learning environment for your child.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Sabrina Claude
Principal, St. Margaret Mary School