Kenosha School Threat; district focused on students, safety assessments

KENOSHA, Wis. – The Kenosha Unified School District released a statement to the community on Monday, November 11, discussing the school threat incident at Roosevelt Elementary School.

The district said it “recognizes the concerns of families and staff and wants to reassure the community that the safety of students and staff has always been and will remain a top priority.”

It also encourages students who need support in coping with the incident to contact their school counselor.

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The district is also conducting 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 administrators had concerns about images of airsoft guns before the incident.

It said these images “did not contain threats or other relevant content, and these concerns were thoroughly investigated. If threats had been made, the administration would have notified law enforcement in accordance with the district’s standard threat assessment process. It is important to note that owning airsoft guns is not illegal. Previous incidents have not violated any district rules or laws, such as having similar weapons on district property or threatening bodily harm.

The district is urging families to emphasize the importance of “see something, say something” with their children.

First incident

Kenosha police say a teenage boy arrested on Thursday, November 7 after trying to enter Roosevelt Elementary School “intended to scare students.” That’s what officials say the boy told a social worker after his arrest.

The 13-year-old boy appeared in Kenosha County District Court on Friday morning, November 8. That hearing was closed to the media. Kenosha police said Friday they found several “replica toy” guns and a rifle in the boy’s home.

“The big military-style truck with the battering ram on the front pulled up in front of these houses and blocked the intersection and 30th and Roosevelt here,” said Jennifer Ruffin, who works near the arrest site.

Kenosha police say when they searched the home, they found several Airsoft replica pistols and an Airsoft replica rifle. Even though it was a toy, the concern was real.

“Investigation revealed that the suspect had been sharing videos and making various comments to fellow students for weeks,” said Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton.

On Friday, Kenosha police said the 13-year-old boy was in court for a hearing charged with one count of terroristic threats. News media were banned from attending the hearing – and it is unclear what happened.

The boy’s family did not speak to reporters after the hearing.

Teen stopped by teacher

Less than 24 hours earlier, Kenosha police said the boy tried to enter 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 call me a hero, but for me it’s just part of the job. I’m here to make sure our students feel safe and loved. The real heroes of the day are the Roosevelt employees; they made sure that our students experience I would also be remiss if I did not draw attention to the quick and decisive actions of the Kenosha Police Department, who acted on the information we provided and were able to arrest the suspect within a few hours of support has I have been humble and I appreciate the collective effort that has helped keep our school community safe.”

“The staff did an excellent job containing the situation as much as possible. I am grateful for that. And I’m grateful that the police are here – it makes all parents feel safe and welcome,” said Manny Murillo. , a parent at Roosevelt Elementary.

The entire Kenosha school went into a “safe hold” as police searched the entire community.

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Tips led to arrest

Police say several tips and videos have been received. That led to the 13-year-old’s arrest at a home not far from the school near 30th and Roosevelt.

Police say the boy has searched the Internet several 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 school with the intention of scaring students.

It is unclear when the boy will appear in court again.