Kenosha school threat; district focusing on students, safety reviews
Roosevelt Elementary School, Kenosha
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Kenosha Unified School District released a statement to the community on Monday, Nov. 11, addressing the school threat incident at Roosevelt Elementary School.
The district said it "acknowledges the concerns of families and staff and wants to reassure the community that student and staff safety has always been, and will remain, a top priority."
It is also encouraging students who need support processing the incident to contact their school counselor.
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The district is also undertaking a comprehensive review of its safety procedures and protocols to identify potential areas for improvement.
You can read the full statement below:
The district also noted that before the incident, administrators received concerns regarding images of airsoft guns.
It said these images, "did not include threats or other concerning content, and these concerns were thoroughly investigated. Had any threats been made, administration would have notified law enforcement in line with the district's standard threat assessment process. It is important to note that owning airsoft guns is not illegal. In the past incidents, no district rules or laws had been broken, such as having look-alike weapons on district property or threatening bodily harm."
The district urges families to emphasize the importance of "see something, say something" with their children.
Initial incident
Kenosha police say a teenage boy arrested after trying to enter Roosevelt Elementary School on Thursday, Nov. 7, had an "intent to scare students." That is what officials say the boy told a social worker after his arrest.
The 13-year-old boy appeared in Kenosha County court on Friday morning, Nov. 8. That hearing was closed to the media. Kenosha police said on Friday, they found several "replica toy" handguns and a rifle in the boy's home.
"The big Army-looking truck with the battering ram on the front stopped in front of these houses and blocked off the intersection and 30th and Roosevelt here," said Jennifer Ruffin, who works near the arrest scene.
Kenosha police say when they search the home, they found several Airsoft replica handguns and an Airsoft replica rifle. While toys, the concern was real.
"Investigation revealed that the suspect shared videos and made several comments to fellow students for weeks leading up to today," said Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton.
On Friday, Kenosha police say the 13-year-old boy was in court for a hearing, charged with one count of terroristic threats. News media was prohibited from sitting in on the hearing – and it is unclear what happened.
Family of the boy did not speak to journalists after the hearing.
Keith Lowry
Teen stopped by teacher
Less than 24 hours earlier, Kenosha police say the boy tried to get into Roosevelt Elementary School carrying bags and wearing black. When school staff questioned the boy, he ran into the neighborhood.
"Our instincts took over, and we relied on our training to ensure everyone’s safety," said Keith Lowry, a student teacher at Kenosha Unified. "People are calling me a hero, but to me, it’s simply part of the job. I’m here to make sure our students feel safe and loved. The true heroes of the day are the staff at Roosevelt—they ensured our students experienced a normal day, unaware of the chaos surrounding the building. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t highlight the swift and decisive actions of the Kenosha Police Department, who acted on the information we provided and captured the suspect within a few hours. The outpouring of support has been humbling, and I appreciate the collaborative effort that helped keep our school community safe."
"Staff did an excellent job at keeping the situation contained from them as much as possible. So I’m grateful for that. And I’m grateful the police are here – it makes all the parents feel safe and welcome," said Manny Murillo, a Roosevelt Elementary parent.
All Kenosha school went into a "secure hold" as law enforcement searched community-wide.
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Tips led to arrest
Police say multiple tips and videos came in. That led to the arrest of the 13-year-old at a home not far from the school near 30th and Roosevelt.
Police say the boy searched the internet multiple times for school shootings. In an interview, police said the boy said he went to school to sell candy, but later told a social worker he went to the school with the intent of scaring students.
It is unclear when the boy will be back in court again.