A 14-year-old made threats to shoot Brookfield East High School students
BROOKFIELD WI Aug 23 2018 – A 14-year-old student will be referred to the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office on a felony charge of making terrorist threats after allegedly threatening to shoot students at Brookfield East High School.
Brookfield police announced their pursuit of criminal charges late Tuesday, Aug. 21, after the suspect was arrested.
East students were lauded Aug. 21 for notifying school authorities after seeing the threats posted on multiple social media sites, according to statements from police and school officials.
The student has no ties to Brookfield East, a police statement said. The student’s gender was never made clear in police or school statements.
This is the second-known incident locally of a teenager facing felony charges of making terrorist threats.
In April, Jared Roberts, 17, of North Prairie was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with the same crime after making verbal threats to classmates to shoot up Mukwonago High School.
Those students informed school officials who then notified police. Roberts is free on bail while his criminal case is pending in court.
Brookfield East High School Principal Andy Farley said in a memo to parents, “Once notified, we immediately engaged the City of Brookfield Police Department, who completed their investigation into the social media posts and took the adolescent into custody.
“We are grateful to the students who brought the posts to the attention of our school administrative team.
“As we have done in the past, we will continue to encourage our students who see something to say something. Please reinforce this message with your students as well, as we work together to keep our schools safe.”
In October 2017, a male student at Brookfield East, who reportedly had a “kill list,” was taken into custody for an alleged gun threat against the school.
Farley said he knows how “unsettling” threats against a school can be.
The school has “standard emergency protocols we have created with local law enforcement agencies to respond quickly and appropriately.”
A student services team is available to work with students who need support.
The first day of the 2018-19 school year at Brookfield East is Sept. 4.
Journal Sentinel
