Police
respond to 'threat' at school
by Ivan
Foley
Landmark editor
Platte City Police appeared at the Platte City Middle
School Friday morning after reports of a possible threat
made by a student had circulated among other students,
teachers, parents, and administrators.
"On Thursday night we started getting calls from
the middle school principal in regard to a threat that
had been made to a number of children," Police Chief
Joe McHale said this week. A student had apparently told
other students he had a gun and was going to bring it
to school and "do harm," McHale said.
Police showed up at the school early Friday morning.
When the student, age 12, arrived for class, he was taken
into custody by police and questioned.
"The boy had just said the wrong things to the wrong
people and it got back to the principal," McHale
said. He said the investigation determined the boy does
not have a gun and does not have access to a gun.
"The boy and his mother were very cooperative,"
McHale said. The chief said in his opinion the boy made
comments after "he was tired of being picked on."
The matter was briefly turned over to juvenile authorities,
but McHale said the case is closed. He said he wants to
assure parents the situation has been handled and wants
to squash rumors surrounding the incident.
"There is no threat," he said this week, adding
there had been unfounded rumors of a "hit list,"
among other things.
"Rest assured, we take these types of matters very
seriously. Students need to be aware of that," McHale
said.
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