Wisc. Elementary School Staff Hailed for 'Heroic' Thwarting of Potential Mass Shooting
The Kenosha Police Department said a 13-year-old who made searches related to school shootings was captured on video with a rifle
Police said they arrested a 13-year-old student after he allegedly attempted to enter Roosevelt Elementary School with two "suspicious bags."
The teen was allegedly captured on video "practicing rudimentary techniques" with an illegal firearm and made searches related to school shootings, per police.
As police investigated and searched for the suspect, all KUSD schools were placed on lockdown
Staff at a Wisconsin elementary school are being praised for their efforts to protect students after they prevented an allegedly "suspicious" teenager from entering an elementary school.
Kenosha Police Department Chief Patrick Patton shared during a press conference that the 13-year-old suspect "was intercepted by school staff members" when he allegedly tried to enter Roosevelt Elementary School on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 7, before fleeing on foot.
A photo of the teenage suspect shared by police showed the boy dressed in a black hoodie with a black hat carrying what police described as two "suspicious bags" including a large backpack and what appeared to be another large duffle bag into the school.
"We can confirm that we've received at least one video depicting the suspect holding an illegal firearm," Patton said during the press conference, later adding: "The video shows the suspect walking with what we believe to be a rifle, practicing rudimentary techniques."
"We also have information that the suspect performed multiple internet searches related to school shootings prior to the incident," he added.
Patton said that thanks to "tips" police received from the community, they were able to locate and arrest the suspect, who police said was a student within the Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) system, a few blocks away from the school. Police confirmed the arrest in an update on social media at around 2:20 p.m.
"We know that there [were] internet searches, and all the red flags that we would look for and expect someone to report were there," Patton said.
"We narrowly missed a tragedy today, and we're just going to re-encourage everybody when they see something, say something, help us have those talks with your children," he added.
Roosevelt Elementary School and the rest of KUSD schools were placed on lockdown while police investigated the incident, the Kenosha Police Department said.
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KUSD Superintendent Jeff Weiss told CNN and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the teen used one of the school's side entrances to get to a "secure entryway," where school staff approached him and questioned him. The boy then appeared to get "nervous" before fleeing the building into the neighborhood, Weiss alleged.
"They did not know in the exact moment what was happening, but their actions were heroic and prevented the unfathomable," Weiss said, calling the incident a "potential school shooting."
Wisconsin State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly also shared a statement , saying she was "so thankful" for the "school staff in Kenosha" for "preventing a young person with a firearm from entering" the school.
