| QUOTE |
| School District Takes Precautions After Threat Jan 24 2007 5:44PM In Pickaway County, police and sheriff's deputies stepped up patrols around Teays Valley High School after a serious threat was made earlier this week. Teays Valley High School was on lockdown part of the day after disturbing reports that a student intended to bring a weapon on the school bus. The development comes on the heels of an earlier investigation that led to the arrest of a middle school student. Ashville Police and the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office took turns patrolling the grounds at Teays Valley High School after a student overheard a threat similar to the one made by the middle school student. "Our suspicion is that the incident trickled over to the high school," said Teays Valley Superintendent Jeff Sheets. He added that they have talked to every student and spent hours investigating the rumor along with the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office. According to Ashville Police, an unnamed middle school student told a California teen during an Xbox 360 Live chat on Monday that he would bring a 9 mm pistol to school. That teen's father alerted the FBI. Parents and guardians expressed shock and concern about their children's safety. Administrators say they've taken precautions and painstakingly questioned students about the details surrounding the threats. Meanwhile, a certain tension lingers over the Teays Valley School District until more information can be learned. The 13-year-old middle school student involved in the initial investigation was taken into custody and charged with inducing a public panic. The Pickaway County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that a search warrant was executed, and the Xbox, a firearm (not a 9 mm) and other "items of evidentiary value" were seized. The student was released to his parents; however, it's unclear whether he'll be permanently barred from returning. |
