Evansville student arrested after posting 'threatening message'

EVANSVILLE – A middle school student has been arrested after school officials say the juvenile posted a “threatening message” to social media over the weekend – although law enforcement investigators allegedly believe it was meant more as a disruption than a legitimate threat.

According to an email sent around 7 pm Sunday to Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. families and staff, a student at McGary Middle School will face “appropriate disciplinary action.” The email doesn’t specify what was allegedly said in the post.

“Law enforcement determined the student was attempting to interrupt the normal school day, but did not intend actual harm,” the email reads. “We are sharing this with all EVSC families since this student was identified and arrested by law enforcement, and we want to eliminate the likelihood that rumors in other schools may develop as a result of this situation.”

EVSC spokesperson Jason Woebkenberg confirmed the information in the message to the Courier & Press. The email, as well as a subsequent post to the school corporation’s Facebook page, doesn’t explain on what the message allegedly said, or what “appropriate disciplinary action” might entail.

The Courier & Press has reached out to Evansville police. EVSC’s messages said EPD, the EVSC police department, and the FBI all took part in the investigation.

The EVSC didn’t identify the student by name. Any student at McGary – which serves grades 6-8 on the city’s South Side – would be a juvenile, and children aren’t publicly identified in criminal matters except in high-level felony cases.

The incident is just the latest arrest of an EVSC student. According to data obtained by the Courier & Press through a records request to the Indiana Department of Education, there were more than 60 arrests of students at EVSC schools between the 2021-22 and ’22-23 school years.

And it’s part of a rash of threats that have cropped up nationwide since police say a 14-year-old shot and killed four people – two students and two teachers – at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Sept. 4.

In response, EPD said in a news release Thursday that it’s “increased our police presence in and around our schools and are vigilant in protecting our community.” That same day, Gibson County Sheriff Bruce Vanoven said in his own release that a student at the K-8 Fort Branch Community School had been arrested after being accused of “making threatening statements towards the school and other students” during homeroom.” wasn’t identified in the release.