A 15-year-old Bentley High School student is facing a felony charge after he allegedly told classmates and principal that if he had the chance to blow up his high school, he would.
BURTON, MI – A 15-year-old Bentley High School student is facing a felony charge after he allegedly told classmates and a principal that if he had the chance to blow up his high school, he would.
On Friday, Feb. 16, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton confirmed that the teen has been charged as a juvenile with a single count of making a false report or threat of terrorism, and is currently being held at the Genesee Regional Detention Facility.
After telling classmates that if he “could blow up the high school [he] would,” and that he would “rather be in jail than in school,” the teen was sent to the principal’s office, where repeated the statements, Leyton said.
The teen was suspended and police were notified, Leyton said.
While it was later shown that the 15-year-old did not have access to weapons to carry out his alleged plot, Leyton said that “in this day and age, all threats must be taken seriously.”
“Because of the state of things right now, we must always air on the side of caution,” Leyton said. “The worse thing you could do right now is not take something seriously and then come to find that it was a serious threat.”
Bentley High School officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Leyton said authorities are also investigating a separate report regarding allegations of a school shooting threat involving a 15-year-old student at E. A. Johnson High School in Mt. Morris, but no charges have been issued.
In a letter posted to the Mt. Morris Community Schools website, Superintendent Renae Galsterer wrote that the district has “not found the threat to be credible” but is continuing to cooperate with the Mt. Morris Police Department as they proceed with their investigation into the matter.
“Student safety is Mt. Morris Schools’ top priority and we will aid the authorities with any information or access that they require,” the letter stated. “It has been determined that at no time were our students in danger.”
The threats come days after a 19-year-old gunman opened fire on a high school in Broward County, Florida, killing 17 people.
17 dead in Florida school shooting, suspect identified as former student
