KENOSHA, WI - Officials with the Kenosha Police Department confirmed to reporters that a 13-year-old boy was placed under arrest Thursday after he attempted to enter an elementary school with a firearm before he was scared off by a member of the school staff.
As reported by Fox News, the boy attempted to enter the school at approximately 9:00 a.m. when he entered a secured area of the school, was confronted by a staff member, and immediately fled the scene. The Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) then placed all of its schools on alert and under lockdown. Classes continued although no one was permitted to enter or leave.
In a press conference, Kenosha PD informed the public that they had taken several tips regarding the suspect being in the area which subsequently resulted in the boy being located. Responding officers were able to convince the boy to surrender peacefully and he was arrested without incident.
"We believe that this was actually an armed suspect with a firearm, and there was no legitimate reason to enter the school," Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton said.
Investigators revealed during the conference that the department obtained video of the boy holding a rifle inside a residence and said the video shows him demonstrating "room entry techniques." His search history also revealed reach into school shootings prior to the incident on Thursday.
Patton added, "The only reason the individual was not able to fully enter the school was because of the quick and diligent actions of the school staff."
#BreakingNews KENOSHA, Wis. - A 13-year-old boy armed with a weapon tried to enter Roosevelt Elementary School on Nov. 7. He has since been taken into custody by Kenosha police shortly after 2 p.m. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/n6HMgON6wW
— Wisconsin Pop News (@WISPOPNEWS) November 7, 2024
In a later interview, KUSD Superintendent Jeff Weiss told reporters that the student attempted to enter the building at several different points, checking various entrances before attempting to enter the secured entrance. "Today we experienced something that all school staff and families fear, a potential school shooting," Weiss said.
In a letter to parents obtained by Fox Weiss wrote, "Our staff and students, along with law enforcement partners, regularly review, plan and drill for incidents like the one we encountered at Roosevelt this morning. We do not take this lightly. We are thankful for the secured entrance at Roosevelt Elementary School that prevented easy access to the building and our students and staff. We are thankful for our staff who bravely stop the individual and ask questions that cause the individual to question their choices and flee.
"We are thankful for multiple law enforcement agencies who stepped up to surround our schools, not just in Kenosha Unified, but throughout the county," he added. "We are thankful for our staff who continue to work with our children, your children, our students throughout the day to provide as much normalcy as possible, despite their own fears that they may be facing. We are thankful for our families who trusted us to work with law enforcement to keep their children safe."
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