8 School Threats Reported in Wisconsin In Last 36 Hours

MILWAUKEE, WI — Police departments in several Wisconsin communities are increasing their presence at area schools following a rash of reported threats in their local school districts in the last 24 hours. According to multiple reports, schools in Oak Creek, Whitefish Bay, Kaukauna, Madison and Stevens Point all reported threats that were investigated by local districts and officers.

In addition, authorities arrested two men who reportedly brought loaded assault rifles onto school grounds at Homestead High School last week. On Feb. 1, authorities in Kenosha closed Indian Trail High School after a Snapchat threat was reported in which the poster threatened to commit a school shooting.

Whitefish Bay

The Whitefish Bay Police Department kept an officer at the Whitefish Bay Middle School after the school district and police department investigated a Snapchat post from Thursday from a student stating he was going to commit violence at the school.

Whitefish Bay police are reporting that they viewed the saved digital files on the phone of the student who was accused to have made a threat to shoot up the Middle School. These files were identified based on the times provided by the reporting student, police said.

Police said that their investigation revealed that there was no mention of going to any school to do any shooting at all. The video and audio files were legible at times and illegible at other times as the student was walking and talking and singing into his phone.

According to police reports made available to the public later Thursday, one student thought they watched a SnapChat post by a student who threatened to shoot up a school. The student reportedly saw this happen after a class at the Middle School where a teacher was emphasising the need to report any type of school violence threat.

Police said another student also thought they had watched a similar video. One of these students told their Mother. This Mother later in the evening sent an email to the Middle School Principal telling him of what her daughter had told her. He immediately notified Police Thursday, prompting the investigation.

The parent of the student and the child who was accused of having made the threat were extremely cooperative with the investigation, police said, and no crime or ordinance violation was committed by this student.

Oak Creek

Police in Oak Creek are reporting that they arrested an Oak Creek-Franklin student Thursday morning after a student reportedly made threatening remarks to cause harm to fellow students at an unspecified school in Oak Creek.

According to police, one the student was arrested, they were interviewed and evaluated. The student is reportedly going to be facing criminal charges related to the incident after the department forwards charging recommendations to the Milwaukee County Children's Court.

Oak Creek police state that there is no current threat to the safety and well-being of the students in the district.

Fitchburg

A 14-year-old Fitchburg boy was arrested Friday in connection with an apparent threat.

According to a Wisconsin State Journal report, police said the boy called someone in Juneau County and said he was going to "shoot up a school." When police investigated, they learned that the call was made at about 6:45 p.m. Thursday in Juneau County.

According to reports, police went to the boy's home and took him into custody on suspicion of making a terroristic threat.

Kaukauna

The Kaukauna School District sent a letter home to parents after school Thursday after investigators learned that a River View Middle School student made threats of violence against the student body.

Minocqua

School district officials are reporting that extracurricular activities are canceled until Tuesday after a reported threat in Minocqua at the local high school.

According to police reports, an underage student was taken into custody in Minocqua on Friday after Lakeland School teachers found two incidents of threatening graffiti in the women's restroom on the east side of the school theatre on Thursday. In addition to the graffiti, officials in the Minocqua School District also learned of a SnapChat photograph was being distributed on social media, which also threatened the safety of Lakeland School. Law enforcement continues to investigate this incident as well.

On Friday, Feb. 16, there was an increased law enforcement presence at school to ensure the safety of the students, faculty and staff on campus. Due to the seriousness of the offense and the ongoing investigation, the Polar Daze Assembly on Friday afternoon was cancelled. In addition, with the ongoing investigation, the Polar Daze Dance on Saturday, February 17, 2018 was also cancelled.

Fennimore

Police in Fennimore searched and swept the district's high school, middle school and bus fleet Friday morning after a reported message indicated a bomb threat.

According to police reports, on Friday, Feb. 16, school district officials became aware of a message that was written on the wall of the High School's boys bathroom, stating that there will be a bomb in the school on Feb. 20.

According to Fennimore police, the information they received indicated the message had been written weeks earlier, but was removed from the bathroom wall by an unknown person.

According to reports, Fennimore police have been working with local officials on an investigation, and do not believe the grafitti amounted to a credible threat.

Police will be conducting a similar search and sweep prior to students arriving on Feb. 20.

Stevens Point

Police in Stevens Point are providing extra security at P.J. Jacobs Junior High School following an incident Wednesday night. According to the Post-Crescent, a parent heard a student discussing a potential threat that could happen at the school. According to the report, school officials notified parents of the situation and increased police presence at the school.

Madison

Police are increasing their presence at Madison East and LaFollette High Schools Friday morning following the discovery of a SnapChat threat overnight. According to school officials, the district found the source of the threat, and determined that it was not credible.

The following is a statement issued by the Madison Metropolitian School District:

"I'm writing to let you know that last night, Madison Police shared a concern with administration at East and La Follette. An unidentified student had posted a statement on Snapchat that suggested a vague threat of violence between the two schools. Because we take every possible threat very seriously, East and La Follette administration worked closely with MPD throughout the night to trace the message back to the original poster on snapchat. Following several interviews, the officers investigating the concern found the source of the message and no credible threat.

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