Mich. student arrested for school threat

By Nico Rubello
Fraser-Clinton Township Chronicle

FRASER, (Mich.) — A Fraser High School student has been arrested and is facing felony charges related to allegations that he said aloud on Dec. 18 that he would bring a gun to school Friday, Dec. 21, and shoot people, in light of it being the "end of the world" by the Mayan calendar, said a Fraser Public Safety official.

Police Lt. Dan Kolke, of the Fraser Department of Public Safety, said there was no indication that the student actually ever brought a gun into school - he was arrested on Dec. 19 - but he still faces felony charges related to the alleged threat.

However, Kolke said, the 16-year-old Roseville resident reportedly denied to police investigators that he had made such a statement. At least one classmate reported to the principal that they heard the suspect make the alleged statement.

"We take every threat very seriously," said Fraser Public Schools community relations coordinator Nicole Malak. "Our No. 1 priority is student and staff safety."

A statement from Fraser Public Schools said the high school administrators received several tips regarding the alleged threat and subsequently removed the student in question from school premises. The statement also said that the school district was continuing to adhere to security practices at all schools, including keeping all exterior doors locked, except for main entrances, and all visitor doors were manned at all times of the school day by district personnel.

Rumors that multiple suspects had been involved are false, Kolke added.

As of press time, the student was scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 20, and the Public Safety department would not identify him, since he was a minor and had yet to be arraigned. He had reportedly been placed in a youth home, Kolke added.

Kolke said police had already amped up officers' presence outside Fraser elementary, middle and high schools after the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. After the alleged threat on Dec. 18, officers began spending even more time around the schools, he said.

Kolke said police would have arrested and charged the student even if the shooting in Connecticut had not happened the previous week.

Copyright © 2013 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.    Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy

Copyright 2012 Fraser-Clinton Township Chronicle