After California shooting, threatening note discovered in Bradenton middle school
Bradenton police were called to Sugg Middle School on Thursday afternoon to investigate a threat discovered written inside one of the bathroom stalls at the school.
When the school resource officer was alerted to the written threat between 3 and through 3:30 p.m., that officer called for police to respond to the campus, according to police spokesman Capt. Brian Thiers.
A 11-year-old boy was quickly identified as the suspected author of the the threat by the school resource officer after reviewing video surveillance footage of a camera outside the bathroom, and determining the child had taken a longer time in the bathroom than any of the other students.
The boy was tracked down and interviewed by police. He admitted to writing the note on the bathroom stall, according to Thiers. He was not arrested but the case was sent to the state attorney’s office to determine whether charges were warranted.
“He had no means to carry any form of a threat and no access to any firearms,” Thiers said.
The discovery came less than five hours after two students were killed and three others were injured Thursday at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., a suburb north of Los Angeles. The shooter, a student who had turned 16 years old that day, turned the gun on himself in the same outdoor quad area where he shot his victims.
Sugg Middle Principal Ann McDonald sent parents a message on Thursday evening alerting them of the threat.
“I want you to know that all of our students and staff are safe and we will continue to work with law enforcement and the district to identify the source of the threat. While that is taking place, we will have an increased security presence on our campus,” McDonald said. “Please take this opportunity to remind your children that any student that makes a threat against a school, even in jest, is subject to extremely serious criminal and school district consequences. Again, law enforcement is investigating and in control of this situation.”
Herald staff writer Giuseppe Sabella contributed to this report.
